NAIROBI, Kenya- People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua has said she will return to Uganda after President Yoweri Museveni leaves office, following her deportation from Entebbe International Airport, where she had travelled for legal work linked to opposition-related cases.
Karua made the remarks after she was denied entry into Uganda on Monday, June 22, and escorted back to Kenya by Ugandan immigration officials.
The former Kenyan presidential candidate said the incident reflected wider concerns about constitutionalism, political freedoms, and the treatment of legal professionals within the East African region.
“I will visit Uganda after Museveni leaves power,” Karua said, adding that the Ugandan leader was not a “president for life.”
She argued that leaders must respect constitutional limits and accept that political authority is temporary.
“Leaders must understand that power is temporary and governed by constitutions, not personal rule,” she said.
“No leader is above the constitution, and no country should close its doors to legal professionals because of political fear.”
Karua had travelled to Kampala as part of a legal team involved in proceedings connected to opposition figures. Reports indicated that her visit was linked to legal representation and support for cases involving political dissent.
Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, Ugandan authorities reportedly stopped her and declared her unwelcome before arranging her return to Nairobi.
Ugandan immigration authorities have not publicly issued detailed reasons explaining why she was denied entry.
The incident has triggered debate among legal and political actors in Kenya and Uganda, with questions raised over cross-border legal practice and regional commitments to democratic governance.
The Uganda Law Society called for clarification on the circumstances surrounding Karua’s removal, while Kenyan opposition leaders criticised the action as a setback for regional democratic freedoms.
Karua has previously been involved in human rights advocacy and legal defence work across East Africa. Her involvement in opposition-related cases has placed her at the centre of debates on political accountability, rule of law, and civic space in the region.
Karua maintained that East African governments must uphold constitutional principles and avoid using state power to restrict legitimate legal work.
Her remarks have renewed focus on the balance between national sovereignty, immigration controls, and regional obligations on human rights and access to justice.
