Martha Karua, leader of the People’s Liberation Party, sharply criticized her detention and denial of entry into Uganda, labeling the incident part of a growing trend of political repression across East Africa.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Karua recounted being detained at Entebbe International Airport after arriving in Uganda to observe court proceedings that involve her co-counsel, former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. Lukwago represents detained opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and co‑accused Obied Lutale.
Karua said she was initially cleared by immigration officials, but was later stopped and referred to senior officers who informed her that directives had been issued to deny her entry. She claimed security staff seized her phones and held her incommunicado for hours without providing a legal justification.
“I hold an East African passport and was in Uganda to lawfully observe Mr. Lukwago’s case. They could not tell me what laws I had broken because there were none. This behaviour was pure harassment and intimidation,” she stated.
The former Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister noted that her experience prompted intervention from legal and human rights groups throughout East Africa, including the Law Society of Kenya, the East Africa Law Society and the Uganda Law Society.
Karua warned that her ordeal should not be seen in isolation. She emphasized that civic space and democratic norms are increasingly eroding across the region, citing the 2024 abduction of Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye in Nairobi and his continued detention nearly 600 days later as evidence of this trend. She also highlighted growing attacks on lawyers, opposition leaders and defenders of justice in Uganda and Tanzania, marked by arbitrary arrests, intimidation and incommunicado detention.
Drawing parallels with Kenya’s political climate ahead of the June 25 commemoration of the Gen Z protests, Karua cautioned that repression, impunity and disregard for the rule of law transcend borders.
“What happened in Entebbe is not just about Uganda. It is a warning to Kenya and the entire region. We must reject normalizing lawlessness, especially by the political class. We must denounce a politics of fear and stand firm in defense of justice, constitutionalism and human dignity,” she added.
Karua reaffirmed her candidacy for the 2027 presidential election, declaring her vision of a democratic, prosperous and united Africa grounded in the rule of law, freedom and respect for human dignity.