Besigye sues Muhoozi over lawyer Martha Karua’s deportation
Briefly Analysis
Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya have initiated legal proceedings in the High Court of Uganda against the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, following the deportation of Kenyan advocate Martha Karua. Karua, a prominent legal figure, was reportedly denied entry at Entebbe International Airport on June 22, 2026, while arriving to provide legal representation for the applicants in their ongoing criminal matters. The applicants contend that this administrative action constitutes an unlawful interference with their constitutional right to legal representation and a breach of the principles of fair trial as enshrined in the 1995 Constitution of Uganda.
This case carries significant legal weight as it touches upon the intersection of national security powers and the fundamental right to counsel. For practitioners, the matter highlights the precarious nature of cross-border legal representation in politically sensitive cases. The court will likely have to weigh the state’s broad powers under the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act against the constitutional guarantees of Article 28, which mandates that every person charged with a criminal offence is entitled to a fair, speedy, and public hearing before an independent and impartial court, including the right to choose and be represented by a lawyer of their choice.
Legal professionals should monitor this litigation closely, as it may set a precedent regarding the extent to which security agencies can restrict the movement of foreign legal counsel. The involvement of the CDF as a respondent suggests that the applicants are challenging the executive’s use of security apparatus to influence judicial processes. Attorneys representing clients in high-profile or politically charged cases should be aware of the potential for administrative hurdles at ports of entry and ensure that all documentation regarding legal retainers is robust and readily available to mitigate the risk of arbitrary exclusion.