Former Kenyan justice minister blocked from entering Uganda, East African lawyers' body says
Kenya's former justice minister was detained at Entebbe airport after Uganda denied him entry, the East African Law Society says. The incident is fuelling fresh diplomatic friction between Nairobi and Kampala and is raising questions about freedom-of-movement commitments inside the East African Community.
BBC Africa reports that Kenya's former justice minister was held by Uganda's authorities at Entebbe International Airport for several hours before being turned back to Nairobi. The East African Law Society said its member had travelled to Kampala to address a regional advocates' conference.
Uganda's immigration directorate has not issued a formal statement; Kenya's foreign ministry said it is « following the matter at the highest level ». The bar association argued that the former minister had been targeted because of his past human-rights advocacy. The incident has deepened concerns about how the East African Community's freedom-of-movement guarantees are actually enforced at borders.
Diplomatic sources in Nairobi said the Kenyan president would speak by phone with his Ugandan counterpart on Monday evening. The dispute compounds tensions in recent months over fishing-zone claims in Lake Victoria and rising cross-border transit fees. Conference organisers said additional delegates from the Nairobi bar would now try to reach Kampala by road instead of flying.
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