The National Liberal Party (NLP) has strongly condemned the detention of People’s Liberation Party leader and Senior Counsel Martha Karua by Ugandan authorities at Entebbe International Airport, terming the incident a political provocation and an attack on regional integration within the East African Community.
In a statement issued on Monday, NLP Secretary General Omondi K’Oyoo expressed grave concern over Karua’s detention, saying the senior lawyer and former Deputy Presidential Candidate was held upon arrival in Uganda despite her standing as one of Kenya’s most prominent political figures.
According to the party, Karua was detained after arriving aboard a Kenya Airways flight while Charles Kanjama, the President of the Law Society of Kenya, was allowed entry into the country.
The party further claimed that Karua was being held incommunicado despite being scheduled to return to Nairobi on the same day.
NLP argued that Karua’s detention transcends an ordinary immigration matter, describing it as a serious political issue with implications for the East African Community’s commitment to democracy, free movement and respect for political leaders across member states.
The party demanded an immediate explanation from the Government of Uganda regarding Karua’s whereabouts, condition and the legal basis for her detention. It also called on the Government of Kenya to urgently intervene through diplomatic channels to secure her release and safe return home.
Further, NLP urged the East African Community Secretariat to guarantee the free movement of political leaders, legal practitioners and public figures within the region without political harassment.
“We stand in full solidarity with the People’s Liberation Party, the Law Society of Kenya and the family of Martha Karua,” the statement said.
The party described the detention of a sitting party leader and former deputy presidential candidate without due process as an affront to the rule of law, political pluralism and the ideals upon which the East African Community is founded.
NLP also called on the East African Community, the African Union and the Government of Kenya to take swift action, insisting that silence would only weaken confidence in regional institutions charged with protecting democratic values and fundamental freedoms.
The party concluded by reaffirming its commitment to defending the political rights and dignity of leaders across East Africa as pressure mounted on Ugandan authorities to clarify Karua’s status and facilitate her immediate release.
