Two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have been released and returned to Kenya after being held incommunicado for 38 days following their abduction in Kampala, Uganda. The duo was handed over to Kenyan officials at the Busia border late on Friday, November 7, 2025, bringing an end to a tense period that drew condemnation from human rights organizations and strained diplomatic channels between Nairobi and Kampala.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing'oei confirmed the release in a statement on Saturday, November 8, 2025. He stated that Njagi and Oyoo were released to Kenya's High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi, and escorted by Ugandan government officials to the border where they were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga. The handover occurred at approximately 2:00 AM EAT.

Details of the Abduction

Mr. Njagi, chairman of the Free Kenya Movement, and Mr. Oyoo, the group's secretary general, were reported missing on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Eyewitness accounts state they were forcibly taken by armed individuals, some in uniform and others in plainclothes, at a petrol station in the Kireka area of Kampala. The activists had travelled to Uganda to express solidarity with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and had attended one of his campaign rallies shortly before their disappearance. Their phones were switched off immediately after the incident, and their whereabouts remained unknown, prompting fears of an enforced disappearance.

Diplomatic and Civil Society Pressure

The abduction triggered a swift response from civil society. A coalition of organizations, including the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Amnesty International Kenya, and Voices of Community Activists and Leaders Africa (VOCAL Africa), issued joint statements condemning the act and demanding action from both governments. They described the incident as part of a worrying trend of transnational repression in East Africa aimed at silencing dissent. The groups launched a global online petition urging Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to ensure the activists' safe return.

The Kenyan government engaged in diplomatic efforts to secure their release. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also oversees the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, wrote to the Ugandan government on October 31, 2025, expressing “profound concern” over the lack of a formal response to Kenya's inquiries, which began with a note from the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala on October 3. The pressure mounted after Uganda's High Court, on October 14, ordered the government to produce the two activists, whether dead or alive, within seven days, a directive that Ugandan security forces, including the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), appeared to defy by denying custody of the men.

Regional Implications and Unanswered Questions

While their release has been met with relief, questions surrounding their detention remain unanswered. Ugandan officials have not issued a formal statement explaining the circumstances of their abduction or their 38-day detention. Human rights groups had suspected they were being held in a military facility known for unlawful detentions and torture. The incident has highlighted the precarious situation for activists operating across East African borders and raised concerns about potential collaboration between state security apparatuses to suppress critical voices.

In a joint statement welcoming the release, LSK, Amnesty International Kenya, and VOCAL Africa thanked the Kenyan and Ugandan governments, as well as former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, for their roles in securing the activists' freedom. The organizations emphasized the need for accountability to prevent such incidents from recurring and to uphold human rights commitments within the East African Community. Mr. Njagi has previously been a target of abduction, having been held for 32 days by unknown captors in Kenya in 2024. The activists are now en route to Nairobi to be reunited with their families.