By Samuel Njoroge
Kampala, Uganda – Just two days after being deported from Tanzania, People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has successfully entered Uganda, expressing relief and satisfaction with her smooth passage. The seasoned lawyer’s arrival follows her previous denial of entry into Tanzania, where she intended to attend proceedings related to opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Karua is now in Uganda to observe the hearing of treason charges against prominent opposition figure Kizza Besigye. Besigye, a four-time presidential contender against Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, faces potentially the death penalty if convicted. The 68-year-old was charged with treason in April after his case was transferred from a military tribunal to a civilian court. He has been in detention since his dramatic abduction in Kenya in November and subsequent return to Uganda for trial.
“In Uganda with Lynn Ngugi for the Kizza Besigye and Obeid Lutale case. Our entry was without a hitch—in the spirit of Jumuiya,” Karua posted on her X account earlier today, referencing the East African Community (EAC). Human rights campaigner Lynn Ngugi, who was also part of the group barred from entering Tanzania, is accompanying Karua.
Karua is reportedly seeking a license from a Ugandan court to officially represent Besigye in the case.
On Sunday, May 18, Karua, alongside other Kenyan lawyers and human rights activists, was denied entry into Tanzania and deported. The group, which included former Kenyan Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, had travelled to Tanzania to attend the hearing in the case of opposition leader Tundu Lissu.
Following her deportation, Karua voiced concerns over the apparent restrictions on her freedom of movement within the East African Community. “I am concerned that, as a citizen of Jumuiya, my access within the East African Community appears inexplicably restricted,” she stated.
The contrasting experiences in Tanzania and Uganda highlight the complex political landscape of the East African region. On Monday, May 19, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu declared that she would not allow activists to “cause trouble” in the country, a statement viewed by many as a direct response to the intended visit of Karua and her colleagues.
The move has been met with mixed reactions. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, a senior member of the ruling UDA party in Kenya, publicly supported Suluhu’s decision, praising it as a bold move to stop the “export of bad manners” into Tanzania.
Martha Karua previously served as Kenya’s Minister for Justice from 2005 to 2009 and was the running mate of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in his 2022 presidential campaign. Her presence in Uganda signals a continued commitment to advocating for human rights and the rule of law across the region. The developments surrounding Besigye’s trial are being closely watched both within Uganda and internationally.
