Weeks after being kicked out of Uganda by Uganda’s army chief general, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, bold Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua is not backing down.
She has now decided to drag the general to court, and top voices such as Dr. Kizza Besigye’s wife Winnie Byanyima is cheering her on.
It all started when Martha Karua flew into Uganda on June 22 with all the right papers ready to defend opposition leader Kizza Besigye in a big treason case.
But soldiers turned her away at the airport and sent her straight back to Nairobi.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba didn’t hide it. He posted online that he personally deported her. “She’s no longer allowed in our country,” he wrote.
Karua says this broke East African rules, as she had a valid passport and court approval. Yet they treated her badly and gave no real chance to fight the decision.
She filed papers in Uganda’s High Court right away. The suit names Muhoozi and Uganda’s Attorney General.
Karua wants the court to say the deportation was wrong and declare her free to work in Uganda again.
Upon seeing Karua’s decision to sue the army chief, Byanyima jumped in fast and posted strong support.
“Go for him, Martha Karua. I salute you for your courage.”
She called Muhoozi a bully and told everyone to stand up for rights and law across the East African Community.