Diplomatic Undercurrents After Shocking Admission

GLOBAL - A diplomatic test is unfolding for President William Ruto’s administration following the brazen admission by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni that his security forces abducted and detained two Kenyan citizens for 38 days. The activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo of the Free Kenya Movement, were released on Friday, 8th November 2025, after a harrowing ordeal that included allegations of torture and incommunicado detention.

Speaking on Uganda's state broadcaster on Saturday, 9th November 2025, just a day after their release, President Museveni confirmed his government's role in what had been treated as an enforced disappearance. “Here, we have got very good intelligence. Like, for instance, 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. He added that the activists had been put “in the fridge for some days,” a colloquialism for holding someone in detention.

This public confirmation, which came after weeks of official denials from Ugandan authorities, has shifted the focus to Nairobi and President Ruto's handling of a direct affront to Kenyan sovereignty and citizen safety. While the Kenyan government engaged in diplomatic efforts behind the scenes, the response from the presidency itself has been notably muted, drawing criticism from human rights organizations.

The Abduction and Detention Ordeal

Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were abducted by armed, uniformed men in Kampala on 1st October 2025. Eyewitnesses reported they were taken from a petrol station after attending a campaign event for Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. For weeks, their whereabouts remained unknown, with the Ugandan military and police formally denying they were in their custody, despite a habeas corpus petition filed in Uganda's High Court.

Upon their release at the Busia border, the activists recounted their experience, alleging they were held at the Kasenyi Military Barracks by special forces and subjected to torture and starvation. “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn't think we would have come out alive,” Njagi told reporters upon his return to Nairobi.

The case sparked outrage among regional civil society groups, including the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Amnesty International Kenya, and Vocal Africa, who tirelessly campaigned for their release and condemned the cross-border repression.

Nairobi's Measured Response

The Kenyan government's official response was channeled primarily through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that the activists' release followed “sustained diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda.” Records show Mudavadi sent a formal letter to his Ugandan counterpart on 31st October 2025, expressing “profound concern” over the lack of a formal response from Kampala nearly a month after the abduction was first reported. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing'oei also confirmed the release was a result of “lengthy engagements.”

However, the absence of a strong, public condemnation from President Ruto, particularly after Museveni's defiant admission, has been conspicuous. During the activists' detention, human rights groups had criticized the “public silence and inaction from Ruto's administration” as “alarming and unacceptable.” This contrasts with other instances, such as President Ruto's direct telephone engagement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on 7th November 2025, to secure the release of Kenyans allegedly held in Ukrainian custody.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

Museveni's justification for the abduction challenges the core principles of the East African Community (EAC), particularly the free movement of persons and respect for the rule of law. By accusing Kenyan citizens of fomenting instability, the Ugandan leader's statement could set a dangerous precedent for the treatment of East Africans across the region.

The incident puts President Ruto in a delicate position. Uganda is a critical trade and strategic partner for Kenya, with both nations collaborating on major infrastructure projects, including the Standard Gauge Railway extension. A forceful public rebuke could strain these ties. However, a perceived weak response risks signaling to regional partners that the rights and safety of Kenyan citizens abroad are not a red line.

Analysts suggest the episode forces Nairobi to re-evaluate its diplomatic posture within the EAC. While quiet diplomacy secured the activists' release, Museveni's subsequent public remarks were seen as a challenge to Kenya's regional influence. The pressure now lies on President Ruto's government to ensure accountability for the illegal detention and alleged torture of its citizens and to secure guarantees that such cross-border abductions will not be repeated, safeguarding the rights of Kenyans throughout the East African region.