Narc Kenya Party leader Martha Karua on Monday, December 9, penned a scathing letter to the Uganda Law Council after she was denied a temporary practicing certificate to serve as Kizza Besigye’s lead counsel.
“I have received with dismay your letter dated 6th December 2024 declining my application for a special practicing certificate,” Karua began in her letter addressed to Navakooza Margaret, the secretary of the council.
She went on to list all six grounds of being denied the certificate and debunked them all.
Karua stated that she was informed her practicing certificate letter of good standing from the Law Society of Kenya was not notarised and that her nationality documents, academic qualifications, and Erias Lukwago’s practicing certificate were not attached to the application.
A collage of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye and a wide-angled picture of Nairobi, Wednesday, November 20.
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Canva, Courtesy
Regarding this, she stated that she should have been asked for whatever additional documents the council desired.
She also noted that Lukwago, whose law firm she was using to apply for the temporary license was a well-known personality as the Lord Mayor of the City of Kampala and a practicing advocate.
The council reportedly also inquired on which special skill she brought to the team to which Karua simply answered, “It is Dr Besigye’s constitutional right to appoint a lawyer/s of choice including a lead council of choice. Our request to you was to process the application before you.”
Karua went on to also deny reports that she had held out as a person holding a valid practicing certificate in Uganda when she attended the hearing December 2 hearing in Kampala.
“As a visiting Jurist I sat with Mr Lukwago, who introduced me to the court and informed the court that I was waiting for the approval of my special license to practice law in Uganda for purposes of the case before them,” she stated in her letter.
“I take great exception to this unmerited accusation by yourselves which constitutes an attack on my character and integrity and undermines the appearance of impartiality of the law council.”
On the issue of accompanying Lukwago and other advocates to the Chief Justice’s chambers, Karua explained that she did not require a practicing certificate to make an administrative inquiry.
“Your disparaging and personalised aspersions on my person and character, as well as the importation of extraneous matters, is regrettable and undermines the spirit of Jumuiya,” Karua concluded.
On November 27, the Narc Kenya party leader wrote to the council to apply for a temporary practicing certificate to take over as lead counsel of Uganda’s opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
Besigye was reportedly abducted in Kenya by the Ugandan government and charged at a military court in Kampala after reportedly being found in possession of two firearms and rounds of ammunition.
As he had been in Nairobi to attend Karua’s book launch, she has been very vocal in defending Besigye, even attending his case hearing last week before she acquired the temporary practicing certificate.
A photo of Azimio Principal Martha Karua during a meeting on June 12, 2023.
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Martha Karua