Kenyan Senior Counsel and former Justice Minister Martha Karua was denied entry into Uganda on Monday after arriving at Entebbe International Airport to join a legal team handling a high-profile political case. Karua had travelled to Uganda with Law Society of Kenya President Charles Kanjama. The two were expected to attend court proceedings involving Ugandan lawyer and politician Erias Lukwago, who is part of the defence team for opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and his aide Obeid Lutale. However, while Kanjama was allowed to enter the country, Karua was stopped by Ugandan immigration officials. She later returned to Nairobi and said she had been informed that she was not welcome in Uganda. Reports also said her phone was switched off while she was being held at the airport, raising concern among colleagues who could not reach her. The incident has drawn strong criticism from legal bodies in the region, including the Uganda Law Society, the Law Society of Kenya, and the East Africa Law Society. They described the move as an attack on the rule of law and called on Ugandan authorities to explain why Karua was blocked despite travelling in her professional capacity as a lawyer. Karua has been involved in the defence of Dr. Besigye and Obeid Lutale, who were reportedly abducted from Kenya in 2024 and later charged in Uganda with treason-related offences. Lukwago was recently charged with misprision of treason, an offence linked to claims that he failed to report information about an alleged plot against the Ugandan government. He has denied wrongdoing and is seeking bail. Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, claimed responsibility for the decision, stating on X: "Do not blame my great father for this decision. I deported her myself. She's no longer allowed in our country" . He later expanded, writing that security operations were designed to ensure Uganda would "NEVER be led or controlled by a foreign-sponsored political organisation" Karua and her supporters say the decision was unlawful and politically motivated. They argue that as a citizen of the East African Community, she should enjoy free movement within member states and be allowed to offer legal services where properly admitted. The case has now become more than a courtroom matter. It has raised serious questions about judicial independence, regional integration, and the protection of lawyers handling politically sensitive cases in East Africa.