NAIROBI, KENYA – Kenyan activist Bob Njagi, speaking publicly for the first time since his release from 38 days of detention in Uganda, has made the explosive claim that a brother of Uganda's Minister for Internal Affairs was held in the same military facility. The allegation, made during interviews on Thursday, 13 November 2025, casts a harsh light on the state of human rights and due process in the neighbouring country and has significant implications for Kenya-Uganda diplomatic relations.

Njagi, alongside fellow activist Nicholas Oyoo, was abducted by armed men on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, near Kampala. After weeks of official denial from Ugandan authorities and sustained diplomatic pressure from Kenya, the pair were released on the night of Friday, 7 November 2025, and handed over to Kenyan officials at the Busia border.

In a press conference on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, Njagi detailed his ordeal, alleging he was held at the Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe, a facility he claims is run by Uganda's elite Special Forces Command. He described being tortured during interrogation and held in inhumane conditions. “The brother of the country's internal affairs minister was my bed mate. He has been there for four months and the family doesn't know where he is,” Njagi stated.

Verification of Claims

Uganda's current Minister for Internal Affairs is Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire. Reports from November 2025 indicate that a man named Amos Rwangomani, identified as Otafiire's brother, was arrested months prior. According to these reports, despite Minister Otafiire being contacted by relatives, the family has been unable to access Rwangomani, with the Attorney General's office reportedly claiming ignorance of his whereabouts. Streamline News has not independently verified Rwangomani's current location or the specific circumstances of his detention. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.

Initially, the Ugandan government denied any knowledge of Njagi and Oyoo's whereabouts, with military and police spokespersons stating the men were not in their custody. This position changed dramatically on Saturday, 9 November 2025, when President Yoweri Museveni publicly admitted he had ordered their arrest. Museveni accused the activists of being “experts in riots” who were working with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, known as Bobi Wine, to incite unrest. “We arrested two Kenyans... They came and they were working with Kyagulanyi's group,” Museveni told reporters, adding they had been put “in the fridge for some days.”

Diplomatic and Human Rights Context

The detention sparked a significant diplomatic effort from Nairobi. Kenya's Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, confirmed that the release followed “sustained diplomatic engagement” and “open and constructive communication.” Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Dr. Korir Sing'oei, announced their release on Saturday, 8 November 2025, confirming they were escorted to the Busia border by Kenya's High Commissioner to Uganda, Joash Maangi, and Ugandan officials.

The incident occurs against a backdrop of a deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda. International organisations like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have documented a pattern of arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and the use of military courts to try civilians, particularly those affiliated with the political opposition. In a May 2025 statement, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, expressed concern over a rise in abductions and torture of political opposition members ahead of Uganda's 2026 elections. Njagi's claim that the detention facility holds at least 150 others without trial aligns with these broader concerns.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

The abduction and extra-judicial detention of two Kenyan citizens raises serious concerns about the safety of Kenyans traveling within the East African Community (EAC), which guarantees freedom of movement. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya, condemned the act as a violation of regional and international law. Njagi and Oyoo have announced their intention to sue the Ugandan government at the East African Court of Justice, a move that will further test regional legal frameworks and diplomatic ties.

Njagi also made the uncorroborated claim that Kenyan authorities may have coordinated with their Ugandan counterparts, alleging they “did the dirty job for them.” This allegation, if substantiated, would have profound implications for civil liberties and state accountability in Kenya. As of Thursday, 13 November 2025, the Kenyan government has not responded to this specific claim. The ordeal of Njagi and Oyoo serves as a stark reminder of the shrinking civic space and the perils faced by activists across the region.