Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua officially received her practicing license this morning, allowing her to lead a team of legal representatives for veteran Ugandan politician Kizza Besigye and his aide, Obet Lutale Kamulegeya.
This development follows the Uganda Law Council’s recent decision to issue Karua a special practicing certificate, having initially rejected her application last month due to incomplete documentation and concerns over politicization.
Despite this positive step, the Uganda Martial Court has denied Karua’s request to represent Besigye in a military court hearing today. The court’s ruling also extended to 30 other lawyers, prohibiting them from acting on behalf of Besigye and Kamulegeya, citing a lack of written instructions from the accused.
Prosecution, led by Colonel Raphael Mugisha, emphasized that only the legal team from AF Mpanga Advocates holds the formal authorization to represent the defendants in the ongoing case, which involves charges related to security and the unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
As the situation unfolds, the implications of this ruling on the representation of Besigye and his aide remain a point of contention within the legal and political circles in Uganda.
