NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan Senior Counsel and former Justice Minister Martha Karua has detailed what she describes as a confusing and troubling ordeal at Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport, saying immigration officials denied her entry, confiscated her mobile phones and failed to provide a clear legal basis for their actions.
Karua, who had travelled to Uganda to attend court proceedings involving former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and to support the legal team representing opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale, said she was initially cleared by immigration officials before being unexpectedly stopped.
The veteran lawyer returned to Nairobi on Tuesday after being denied entry and deported by Ugandan authorities.
Cleared, then stopped
According to Karua, her difficulties began after she had already completed immigration procedures and was waiting for colleagues at the baggage collection area.
She said the immigration officer who had processed her later returned and informed her that an error had allegedly been made.
“I was processed by immigration the normal way, and I passed. At the baggage area, I was waiting for my colleagues to be cleared, then the lady who had cleared me came and told me that she had been informed she had made a mistake, that there was a note against my name,” Karua said.
She was subsequently directed to speak to a supervisor and later moved between several immigration officials before being taken to the office of the principal immigration officer.
Denied entry despite valid travel documents
Karua said officials informed her that instructions existed to deny her entry into Uganda but did not provide a detailed explanation for the decision.
“They asked him what to do, and he asked them what the note said. They said the note said they should deny entry, and he told them to put it into effect,” she said.
The Kenyan lawyer questioned the decision, arguing that she was travelling legally and possessed valid travel documents, including an East African passport.
“I’m a holder of an East African passport, and I’m there legitimately. Can I be told which section of the laws of Uganda and which particular law I have broken?” she asked.
Karua said she repeatedly sought clarification from immigration authorities but was not informed of any offence or legal provision that justified her exclusion.
Phones confiscated during detention
The former presidential candidate also alleged that immigration officials confiscated both of her mobile phones during the incident.
According to her account, one phone was taken while she was speaking to officers, while the second was confiscated when she attempted to contact colleagues in Nairobi.
“One of them snatched my phone, one of my phones which I was holding in my hands, very rudely. I told him he didn’t have to act like a bully. He should have asked for the phone if he wanted it,” she said.
Karua said she later demanded an explanation for the seizure of her devices, expressing concern that sensitive information could have been accessed while the phones were in official custody.
“I asked them why they had confiscated my phones and what they were doing with them because I suspected they were mining information from my two phones,” she said.
“Security” cited as reason
Karua said the only explanation she eventually received from the principal immigration officer was that her exclusion was linked to security concerns.
“I asked for reasons for my denial of entry. He didn’t give any. He just said, ‘Security’. Why are you holding my phones? ‘Security’. That they are a security threat to Uganda,” she said.
Her account comes after an immigration notice issued at Entebbe International Airport reportedly classified her as a “prohibited immigrant” and directed the airline that transported her to return her to Kenya.
Legal bodies condemn deportation
The incident has drawn criticism from legal organisations in both Kenya and Uganda.
The Uganda Law Society (ULS) expressed concern over the implications of the decision for regional legal cooperation and the principles of free movement within the East African Community (EAC).
The society noted that Karua held a valid special practising certificate authorising her participation in legal proceedings in Uganda.
Meanwhile, the Law Society of Kenya called for an explanation from Ugandan authorities, arguing that the incident raises broader questions about whether lawyers can freely perform professional duties across East African borders.
Also Read: Uganda deports Martha Karua, labels her persona non grata
Karua’s People’s Liberation Party (PLP) also condemned the move, describing it as an attack on the independence of the legal profession and calling for accountability from regional institutions.
The deportation has attracted significant political and legal attention across East Africa, particularly because of Karua’s involvement in high-profile opposition-related cases in Uganda.
As of Tuesday evening, Ugandan authorities had not publicly issued a detailed explanation beyond citing security concerns and classifying Karua as a prohibited immigrant.
The incident is expected to intensify debate over freedom of movement, legal representation and the treatment of legal practitioners operating within the East African Community (EAC).
