NAIROBI, Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (EAT) – Two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have returned to Kenya alleging torture and inhumane treatment after being held without charge for 38 days in Uganda. [9] Their release on the night of Friday, November 7, 2025, followed intense diplomatic pressure and a dramatic admission from Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who confirmed his security forces had detained the men he described as “experts in riots.” [3, 16, 20]

Speaking to the media at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, November 8, a visibly frail Mr. Njagi recounted their 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 stated. [23] Mr. Njagi claimed they were “tortured and dehumanised,” adding that he had gone without food for 14 days. [9, 29] Mr. Oyoo described the experience as traumatizing and said they would seek comprehensive medical attention before providing a full account of their captivity. [9]

Abduction and Detention

Mr. Njagi and Mr. Oyoo, both members of the Free Kenya Movement, were forcibly taken by armed men in military and civilian attire on October 1, 2025. [14] The abduction occurred at a petrol station in Kaliro District, Eastern Uganda, shortly after they attended a campaign rally for opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. [3, 14] For weeks, Ugandan authorities denied any knowledge of their whereabouts. [3, 32] This denial led a Kampala High Court judge on October 22 to dismiss a habeas corpus application filed for their release, citing a lack of evidence linking the state to their disappearance. [32]

Family members and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Vocal Africa, raised alarms about their deteriorating health while in detention. [4, 12] It has since emerged that the activists fell ill and were held in a military hospital for a week, after which they were moved to a secret “safe house” for three days before their release. [4, 8, 10] Their primary place of detention was reportedly the Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe. [3, 16]

Diplomatic Scramble and Presidential Admission

The release was the culmination of what Kenyan officials termed “sustained diplomatic engagement.” [3, 18] Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, confirmed that the government issued a formal diplomatic protest, known as a note verbale, on October 3, 2025. [3, 5] Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing’oei also credited “lengthy engagements” for securing their freedom. [5, 6] The two were handed over to Kenya's High Commissioner to Uganda, Joash Maangi, and escorted to the Busia border. [6]

In a stunning reversal, President Museveni, speaking at Mbale State Lodge on Saturday, November 8, admitted to ordering the detention. [3, 20] “Here we have very good intelligence… the two Kenyans whom we arrested… they were working with Kyagulanyi's group. We monitored them and found out they were experts in riots,” Museveni stated. [18] He added that the activists had been put “in the fridge for some days,” a term believed to refer to isolated, harsh confinement. [15, 16, 23] Museveni claimed he acted after being contacted by Kenyan leaders who asked him to either charge the men or release them. [7, 24]

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

This incident has cast a harsh spotlight on Kenya-Uganda relations and the safety of citizens traveling within the East African Community (EAC). President Museveni’s public admission after weeks of official denial has been interpreted by analysts as a challenge to Kenya's regional influence and a direct affront to its sovereignty. [18] The affair raises critical questions for the Kenyan government on how to protect its citizens from cross-border abductions and illegal detentions by a partner state. [18]

The use of unofficial detention sites, or “safe houses,” is a recurring concern in Uganda, with human rights organizations having documented their use for torture and illegal interrogations for years. [11, 13, 17] The abduction of Njagi and Oyoo fits a pattern of repression against political dissent that has been widely reported in Uganda. [21, 26] A coalition of human rights groups, including the Law Society of Kenya, has condemned the act, stating that “enforced disappearances and torture have no place in our region” and calling for a transparent investigation. [16, 29]

As Mr. Njagi and Mr. Oyoo begin their recovery, the diplomatic and human rights fallout from their 38-day ordeal continues to unfold, testing the foundational principles of cooperation and respect for human rights within the EAC. [22]