The Uganda Law Society has vowed to fight for Kenya's senior lawyer Martha Karua's chance to practice law in their country.
This is after Karua's application for a special temporary practicing certificate to serve as Kizza Besigye’s lead counsel was denied.
On Monday, Karua penned a letter to the Ugandan Law Council expressing her displeasure at the decision to deny her a chance to practice in the country.
“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 council secretary.
However, in an aim to rekindle hope for the lawyer, the Uganda Law Society has urged Karua to apply for the certificate again, assuring her that they will fight to ensure she gets it.
"However, all hope is not lost. The Uganda Law Society is empowered to fight for Ms.Karua's audience. I urge Ms.Karua SC to reapply through my office, invoking the IBA standards for the Independence of the Legal Profession, " read the letter from President of the Law Society Isaac SSemakadde.
"I am committed to supporting her professional right to practice law in Uganda without discrimination as to origin or political opinion," SSemakadde continued.
In the letter dated Tuesday, December 10, SSemakadde termed the decision by the Uganda Law Council as ignorant, accusing them of disregarding the independence of the legal profession.
He further pointed out the malice witnessed when the council was voting for the decision and revealed that he was not invited for the vote despite being a member of the council.
"I was maliciously not invited to the special sitting of December 6 2024 that purportedly considered Martha Karua's application. Had I been present, I would have explicitly pointed to Article 19," he revealed.
In a bid to streamline Uganda's law practice and prevent future instances like Karua's case, the president of the Uganda Law Society had vowed to continue to advocate for the abolition of the Law Council and other necessary reforms to ensure the independence of the legal profession.
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 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.
He was in Kenya to attend Martha Karua's book launch, and since then Karua has been vocal in his case seeking to represent him.
