Narc Kenya party leader Martha Karua has been denied audience by General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala.
Karua on Monday, December 2, 2024, arrived at the court to lead a battery of 50 lawyers representing veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye in his ongoing trial.
However, she was blocked from accessing the courtroom and when she finally gained access, she was denied audience.
Taking to her official X account this afternoon, Karua stated that she will only get the right of audience once Uganda’s law council grants 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.
I am in the courtroom after a long wait but I have no right of audience till the law council grants a special license https://t.co/ezyOfY7gzd
— Martha Karua SC (@MarthaKarua) December 2, 2024
Karua’s practicing license
Besigye’s wife Byanyima in a statement shared via her official X account on Monday, December 2, had confirmed that Karua had not been granted the temporary practicing license.
“We begin at the military court with injustice. Lead lawyer for @kizzabesigye1 @MarthaKarua is not granted a practicing certificate by the Law Council. They are at a retreat on Entebbe beach! A man charged with capital offences can’t have his defence team,” Byanyima stated.
We begin at the military court with injustice. Lead lawyer for @kizzabesigye1 @MarthaKarua is not granted a practicing certificate by the Law Council. They are at a retreat on Entebbe beach!
— Winnie Byanyima (@Winnie_Byanyima) December 2, 2024
A man charged with capital offences can’t have his defence team. pic.twitter.com/Dqp26KlC8y
Karua locked out of courtroom
In a subsequent post, she also stated that Karua’s handbag had been confiscated by the army at the main gate of the court, and only got returned after a long negotiation and phone consultations with senior commanders.
Byanyima further stated that more than 20 lawyers, including Karua, had been locked out of the courtroom.
“Sr Counsel @MarthaKarua had her handbag confiscated by the army at the main gate. It took a long negotiation and phone consultations with sr commanders for the handbag to be returned. Now more than 20 lawyers are locked out of the courtroom, including @MarthaKarua and @EriasLukwago_ We can’t start without the lawyers for the accused! Surely is this a court?” she stated.
Sr Counsel @MarthaKarua had her handbag confiscated by the army at the main gate. It took a long negotiation and phone consultations with sr commanders for the handbag to be returned.
— Winnie Byanyima (@Winnie_Byanyima) December 2, 2024
Now more than 20 lawyers are locked out of the courtroom, including @MarthaKarua and… https://t.co/UtFvygdmCL
Karua had on Sunday, December 1, revealed that she was seeking clearance from Ugandan government to represent Besigye in his ongoing trial before the General Court Martial in Makindye, Kampala.
Karua through her official X account stated that she had already arrived in Kampala and that she was pushing for her clearance.
The former Justice Minister further stated that she was hopeful she would get a license that will allow her to represent Besigye in a Ugandan military court.
“I am hopeful of getting the license and already in Kampala,” Karua stated.
Besigye’s trial commenced on Monday, December 2, 2024.
Besigye was arrested in Kenya and deported to Uganda on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, and was presented in the Ugandan military court on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.
He had been scheduled to speak at Karua’s book launch on November 17, 2024, but failed to appear.
