For more than five weeks, the fate of Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo was shrouded in uncertainty. Their sudden disappearance in Uganda in early October 2025 sent shockwaves through activist circles across East Africa and ignited a diplomatic tug-of-war between Nairobi and Kampala. Now, as the dust settles after their release and return home, questions linger about what really happened—and what it means for political dissent in the region.
It all began on October 1, 2025, when Njagi and Oyoo vanished after attending a political event in Jinja, Uganda, where they were supporting opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine. According to eyewitness accounts cited by BBC, masked men in uniform forced the two activists into a car shortly after the event. Their families and colleagues were left in the dark, not knowing the activists’ whereabouts or fate for nearly 38 days.
Official silence from Ugandan authorities only deepened the mystery. For weeks, Kampala denied any knowledge of the activists’ detention—even as pressure mounted from Kenya’s government and international human rights organizations. It wasn’t until a live press briefing at Mbale State Lodge on November 9, 2025, that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni finally broke his silence. Museveni acknowledged that Njagi and Oyoo had indeed been arrested, describing them as “experts in riots” who were “put in the fridge for some days,” according to BBC.
Museveni justified the arrests by claiming that intelligence reports indicated the pair had entered Uganda to collaborate with opposition forces and train youths in riot tactics, particularly in the lead-up to the National Unity Platform (NUP) manifesto launch. He accused foreign actors of funding local youths to incite protests, referencing unrest that had followed the arrest of Bobi Wine in the past. “The ones who are doing that game here in Uganda will end up badly,” Museveni warned, as reported by BBC and other outlets. He insisted that while peaceful demonstrations were acceptable, any attempts to destabilize the country would be met with a strong security response.
Yet, the circumstances surrounding the activists’ disappearance remain murky. Neither the identity of their abductors nor the precise reasons for their detention have been disclosed. Njagi himself, upon returning to Kenya, recounted the ordeal: “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn’t think that we were going to come out alive because we were being abducted by the military,” he told supporters at Nairobi’s main airport, as quoted by BBC.
The release of Njagi and Oyoo was not a simple affair. According to Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi, their freedom followed “sustained diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda.” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed that the activists were officially handed over at the Busia border town, escorted by Uganda’s Ambassador and government officials, and received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga. “Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo are free and on Kenyan territory,” Sing’Oei announced in a public statement.
Back in Kenya, the news brought immense relief to families and fellow activists. But the sense of victory was tempered by persistent concerns about the broader implications for human rights and political freedoms. Civil society groups—including Vocal Africa, the Law Society of Kenya, and Amnesty International—issued a joint statement thanking both governments and “all active citizens” who campaigned for the activists’ release. Vocal Africa, which had led efforts to highlight the case, said, “Let this moment signal an important shift towards upholding the human rights of East Africans anywhere in East African Community.”
Still, not everyone was satisfied with the outcome. Bobi Wine, the Ugandan opposition leader whose rally the activists had attended, questioned the legality of their detention. “If they committed any offence, why were they not produced before court and formally charged?” he asked in a post on X (formerly Twitter), as reported by BBC. His remarks echoed a broader pattern of concern: Ugandan security agencies have often been accused of orchestrating the detention of opposition politicians and supporters in ways that sidestep due process.
Indeed, the ordeal of Njagi and Oyoo is not an isolated incident. Over the past few years, there have been several high-profile disappearances and detentions of activists and opposition figures across East Africa. Last year, Njagi himself was abducted in Kenya by masked men during a wave of disappearances targeting government critics; he reappeared a month later after a court intervened. Other cases include the detention and alleged mistreatment of activists Boniface Mwangi and Agather Atuhaire in Tanzania, as well as the mysterious disappearance and subsequent military court appearance of Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye in Nairobi. These incidents have sparked widespread condemnation and fears that governments in the region may be collaborating to suppress dissent.
The Kenyan Foreign Affairs Ministry has promised to release a detailed report on the activists’ ordeal and the diplomatic efforts that led to their freedom. Meanwhile, civil society groups are demanding a thorough investigation—not just into the abduction and detention of Njagi and Oyoo, but also into the broader pattern of violations against activists. “Their release is a relief, but serious questions remain about how and why they were abducted in the first place,” said one Nairobi-based rights advocate, speaking to BBC.
The episode has also cast a spotlight on the delicate balance between national security and civil liberties in East Africa. Museveni’s administration maintains that strong security measures are necessary to prevent unrest and foreign interference. “Peaceful demonstrations are acceptable provided they do not result in violence or property damage,” Museveni reiterated, according to BBC. However, activists and opposition figures argue that such justifications are often used to stifle legitimate dissent and intimidate critics.
As Njagi and Oyoo settle back into life in Kenya, the unresolved questions surrounding their detention serve as a sobering reminder of the risks faced by activists across the region. For now, their safe return is a cause for celebration among supporters—but it’s clear that the broader struggle for human rights and political freedom in East Africa is far from over.
