Kenyan activist Bob Njagi’s recent allegations have sent ripples across East Africa, raising difficult questions about the lengths governments may go to quash dissent. Appearing on Citizen TV’s JKLive on November 12, 2025, Njagi described what he called a "shocking revelation": Ugandan soldiers were deployed to Kenya, disguised in Kenyan police uniforms, to help suppress the 2024 Gen Z protests. The claim, which has been echoed in multiple news outlets including Citizen TV and TUKO.co.ke, points to a level of cross-border collaboration that many find deeply troubling.
Njagi’s account comes after a harrowing 38-day detention in Uganda, which he endured alongside fellow activist Nicholas Oyoo. The pair were taken to a military camp outside Kampala, a facility typically reserved for training Uganda’s elite Special Forces Command—the unit responsible for the security of Uganda’s First Family. Their ordeal, as recounted in interviews and reported by Citizen TV, shines a light on the often opaque tactics used by East African governments in their efforts to silence critics.
"One shocking revelation is that when we got there in the first week, there were some soldiers who revealed to me that they participated in the Gen Z protests in Kenya," Njagi stated during his televised interview. "They were actually moved from Uganda as military dressed in Kenya police uniform to come and quell the riots in Kenya. This is a collaboration between states. That's why what's happening in Kenya is resonating in Uganda and Tanzania."
The Gen Z protests in Kenya, which erupted in 2024, were emblematic of a new wave of youth-led activism. The demonstrations, driven by frustration with government policies and a desire for more accountability, drew thousands into the streets. The government’s response was swift and, according to activists, heavy-handed. But the notion that foreign soldiers might have played a role in suppressing these protests raises the stakes considerably.
According to Njagi and Oyoo, their detention in Uganda was marked by brutality and psychological torment. Oyoo recounted being caned multiple times during interrogations, which often centered on their digital communications and affiliations. "On the second day, they interrogated us while having our phones. They ask you specific questions about the groups you’re in. When they think that you’ve not said what they should hear, they start caning and punching you," Oyoo told Citizen TV. "I was caned twice. During the first interrogation, they called me out, took me somewhere and began asking me about my WhatsApp. They’re trying to push you towards some narratives of some sorts. When they think I’ve not said the right things, or it seems like I’m hiding something, they cuff me to a chair and take sticks to cane us."
The activists believe that Ugandan security agencies acted on faulty intelligence, suspecting them of traveling to Uganda to mobilize youth against the government. "I think they had been given wrong intelligence, thinking that we were on a mission to mobilise the youth, which they were totally misinformed. They had 38 days of doing investigations but have not taken us to court or charged us with any crimes to date," Njagi explained.
Despite the ordeal, neither Njagi nor Oyoo has been formally charged with any crime. Their prolonged detention without charges, they argue, is emblematic of a wider pattern of human rights abuses across the region. Njagi used his platform to appeal for the release of all political prisoners in Uganda, including high-profile opposition leader Kizza Besigye and Amos Rwangomani, who Njagi claims was his cellmate.
But Njagi’s warnings go beyond his own experience. He argues that the deployment of Ugandan soldiers in Kenya is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader, more troubling trend. "So these are army officers, and that's why we are saying that this collaboration is a collaboration between states. That's why you're seeing what is happening in Kenya resonating in Uganda, resonating in Tanzania. And that's why we are coming out boldly to speak out against these violations of human rights across East Africa," he said, as reported by TUKO.co.ke.
Njagi’s activism is not limited to exposing these cross-border operations. He announced plans to join protests in Tanzania on December 9, 2025, aiming to demand justice for victims of state violence in both Tanzania and Kenya. "So far that we're saying on the 9th of December, we shall be joining Tanzanians in the protest to call for justice for all the victims, both who have died in Tanzania, Kenyans and Tanzanians, and to call out this illegitimate government that is coming up now as an elected government. But we all know that the president swore herself in using the military," Njagi stated, referencing what he described as the militarized swearing-in of Tanzanian president Samia Suluhu.
For Njagi, the issue is not just about Kenya or Uganda, but a regional pattern of repression. He pointed to a series of abductions and human rights violations involving activists across East Africa, including in Ethiopia and Tanzania. He cited the recent case of Tanzanian activist Boniface Mwangi as an example of how state-backed abductions and intimidation tactics are spreading. "Now we are seeing abductions in Tanzania, Boniface Mwangi, happening again. So we as a people now must say enough is enough. And we are calling on the Kenyans to join hands in solidarity with the Tanzanians, so that we are not divided by this, but actually, this brings us together," Njagi urged.
The allegations of cross-border military deployments and coordinated crackdowns on dissent have sparked concern among human rights organizations and civil society groups throughout the region. They argue that such actions not only undermine the sovereignty of individual nations but also threaten the very foundation of democratic expression in East Africa. While governments often justify such measures as necessary for national security, critics say they represent a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism and regional instability.
As the dust settles from Njagi and Oyoo’s release, the spotlight is now firmly on East African governments and their approach to civil liberties. Will the region see a reckoning, or will these stories fade into the background, replaced by the next crisis? For activists like Njagi, the answer lies in solidarity and continued resistance—however daunting the odds may seem.
