Diplomatic Tensions and Citizen Safety

Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, has issued a pointed advisory urging young Kenyans to exercise caution when travelling abroad, a statement directly linked to the recent detention of two Kenyan activists in Uganda. The incident, which saw Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo held for 38 days, has raised significant concerns over the safety of Kenyans in neighbouring countries and the delicate state of regional diplomatic relations.

The two activists were reportedly abducted by armed men in Kampala on October 1, 2025, after attending a political rally for Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. For weeks, the Ugandan government denied any knowledge of their whereabouts, prompting an anxious campaign from family, human rights organisations, and Kenyan officials. The breakthrough came after what Mudavadi described as “sustained diplomatic engagement” and “open and constructive communication” between Nairobi and Kampala.

A Presidential Admission and Allegations of Torture

The situation escalated when Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, in a public address on Saturday, November 8, 2025, confirmed his government had arrested the two men. Museveni accused them of being “experts in riots” who were working with the local opposition to destabilise the country ahead of its January 2026 general election. He stated the activists had been put “in the fridge for some days,” a term believed to refer to an isolated, cold detention facility, raising fears of torture.

Upon their return to Nairobi on Saturday, November 8, Njagi and Oyoo described their ordeal as harrowing, alleging they were held incommunicado under “inhumane conditions” at a military facility by Ugandan special forces. Njagi claimed he was subjected to physical torture and starvation, having gone without food for 14 days. “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn't think that we would have come out alive,” Njagi stated at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Implications for Kenya and the EAC

Mudavadi's subsequent advisory, delivered on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, serves as a direct response to this incident. While celebrating the successful diplomatic effort that secured the activists' release, he underscored the government's stance: “The safety and well-being of Kenyan citizens abroad remain a non-negotiable priority for the Government of Kenya.” He urged Kenyans overseas to maintain contact with Kenyan embassies and consulates and to be mindful of the laws and political sensitivities of their host nations.

The incident tests the principles of the East African Community (EAC), which promotes the free movement of people. It occurs against a backdrop of recently strengthened bilateral ties. In July and August 2025, Presidents William Ruto and Yoweri Museveni signed multiple agreements to deepen cooperation in trade, transport, and security, bringing the total number of pacts to 25. Uganda remains a critical trading partner for Kenya and a key destination for Kenyan exports.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International Kenya and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), have condemned the detention and alleged torture, warning that the persecution of activists threatens regional cooperation and civic freedoms. The advisory from Mudavadi, therefore, is not just a warning to citizens but also a subtle diplomatic signal about Kenya's expectations for the treatment of its people within the EAC bloc. As young Kenyans increasingly look for opportunities across the region, the government's message is clear: be aware, be cautious, and understand that crossing a border means entering a different sovereign space with its own laws and risks.