Martha Karua, the leader of the Narc Kenya party, has been denied an appearance by the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala.
On Monday, December 2, 2024, Karua appeared at the court to lead a team of 50 lawyers representing veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye in his continuing trial.
However, she was barred from entering the courtroom, and when she did, she was denied audience.
Karua wrote on her official X account this afternoon that she will only receive the privilege of audience if Uganda’s legal council issues her a special license.
“I am in the courtroom after a long wait but I have no right of audience till the law council grants a special license,” Karua stated.
Besigye’s wife Byanyima stated on Monday, December 2, via her official X account, that Karua had not been granted the temporary practicing licence.
“We begin at the military court with injustice. The lead lawyer for Kizza Besigye, Martha Karua, is not granted a practicing certificate by the Law Council,” Byanyima stated.
“They are at a retreat on Entebbe ! A man charged with capital offences can’t have his defence team.”In a subsequent post, she reported that the army confiscated Karua’s handbag at the court’s main gate.
However, it was only released following extensive negotiations and phone talks with senior commanders.
According to Byanyima, over 20 lawyers, including Karua, were barred from entering the courtroom.
“Sr Counsel Martha Karua had her handbag confiscated by the army at the main gate. It took a long negotiation and phone consultations with senior commanders for the handbag to be returned,” she stated.
“Now more than 20 lawyers are locked out of the courtroom, including Martha Karua and Erias Lukwago. We can’t start without the lawyers for the accused! Surely is this a court?” Karua stated on Sunday, December 1, that she was requesting permission from the Ugandan government to represent Besigye in his current trial before the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala.
Karua wrote on her official X account that she had already landed in Kampala and was pushing for her permission.
The former Justice Minister added that she hoped to obtain a license that would allow her to represent Besigye before a Ugandan military court.
I am hopeful of getting the license and already in Kampala,” Karua stated.
Besigye’s trial began on Monday, December 2, 2024.
Besigye was detained in Kenya and extradited to Uganda on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, where he was tried in a Ugandan military court on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
He had been slated to speak at Karua’s book launch on November 17, 2024, but did not arrive.
