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Kenyan activists Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo freed after diplomatic pressure on Uganda
Activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo who were held in Uganda for the last 38 days thank Kenyans for their support during their detention on November 8, 2025 at Kisumu International Airport.
Two Kenyan human rights activists, who were abducted in Uganda over a month ago, have been released following intense diplomatic negotiations between Nairobi and Kampala.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei on Saturday confirmed that Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were freed late last night and are now back on Kenyan soil.
“Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo are free and on Kenyan territory,” Dr Sing’oei announced. “Late last night, after lengthy engagements, the two were released to our High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi. They were escorted by the Ambassador and officials of the Uganda government to Busia border town and were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga.”
Mr Chaunga told Nation that the duo got to Busia at 2 am and were handed over to the families.
The two activists had been missing since October 1, when they were reportedly abducted by armed men in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda.
Kenyan activist Bob Njagi during an interview in Kitengela town, Kajiado County, on May 29, 2025.
Their disappearance sparked an outcry from civil society groups and human rights organisations in Kenya and abroad, prompting the government to mount sustained diplomatic pressure on Uganda to account for their whereabouts.
Kenya had intensified diplomatic pressure on Uganda to account for their whereabouts.
The two—Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo—had been picked up in broad daylight from a petrol station in Kira town, about 10 kilometres from Kampala.
Their phones were switched off immediately after the incident, and their location has remained unknown for more than a month.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also doubles up as Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, had formally written to Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo, demanding answers and urging Kampala to act swiftly in tracing the two Kenyans.
In the letter dated October 31, 2025, Mr Mudavadi expressed frustration over Uganda’s silence despite a series of diplomatic correspondence and phone calls between officials from both countries.
“Nearly a month has elapsed since our initial communication, and the Government of the Republic of Kenya is yet to receive a formal response from the Government of Uganda regarding the whereabouts and well-being of our nationals,” he wrote.
“This incident has caused immense distress to their families, elicited intense public concern in our country, and drawn international attention from human rights organizations.”
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
Mr Mudavadi reminded Uganda that both governments are “duty bound to the protection and safety of our citizens both at home and abroad,” emphasising that prompt action was necessary to uphold the values of the East African Community (EAC) and preserve the “strong, long-standing relations” between the two neighbouring nations.
He called on Kampala to “expedite a thorough and independent investigation” and share any findings or actions taken to date. Kenya, he said, remained ready to cooperate through diplomatic channels and EAC frameworks “to secure the release and safe return of the missing citizens.”
Sources within Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) told Nation that the government had sent multiple diplomatic notes to Uganda since early October, but no tangible response had been received.
“The matter of the two Kenyans has been escalated to the Prime Cabinet Secretary, who has personally made several communications with the government of Uganda,” said a senior MFA officer. “We look forward to a positive communication from their end.”
The first official protest was conveyed through a Note Verbale sent by Kenya’s High Commission in Kampala on October 3, 2025. The mission urged Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to “liaise with the relevant authorities in Kampala to obtain information regarding the current situation of the missing Kenyans.”
“The Mission requests the Ministry’s assistance in securing their release and safe return to Kenya,” read part of the communication, which also referenced a letter by human rights organisation VOCAL Africa that first raised the alarm.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, Hussein Khalid, the Chief Executive Officer of VOCAL Africa, wrote to Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr Korir Sing’oei, demanding urgent action.
“We write to express deep concern regarding the abduction of Mr. Bob Njagi and Mr Nicholas Oyoo, both Kenyan nationals and human rights activists, who were abducted in Kampala by unknown armed men believed to be Ugandan security agents,” Mr Khalid stated.
“This incident has caused grave alarm among human rights defenders in the region and raises serious questions about the safety of Kenyan citizens within the East African Community.”
The group urged the Kenyan government to “move with speed” to establish the activists’ whereabouts and demand their release or presentation before a court of law if they were being held on suspicion of any offence.
Mr Khalid further appealed for regional solidarity, urging the Ugandan authorities to uphold the principles of free movement and protection of citizens as enshrined in the EAC Treaty.
The case has attracted concern from international human rights organisations, with some drawing parallels to previous instances of cross-border detentions and disappearances within the East African region.
Uganda has in recent years been accused by rights groups of targeting opposition activists, journalists, and civil society members. However, the abduction of foreign nationals—particularly from a partner EAC state—has triggered rare diplomatic unease between Nairobi and Kampala.
Kenya’s government has expressed particular concern over the Ugandan High Court’s decision to dismiss a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of the two missing activists for “lack of sufficient evidence.”
“This development has heightened our apprehension and underscores the urgency for transparent and collaborative action,” Mr Mudavadi wrote in his letter to Gen. Odongo.
Frank Njagi, father of missing human rights activist Bob Njagi, speaks at their home in Kitengela, Kajiado County, on October 22, 2025. Bob Njagi was reportedly abducted while attending a political campaign in Uganda.
Back home, the families of Njagi and Oyoo have continued to appeal to both governments for help.
Relatives have described the activists as passionate about governance and civic engagement in the region, saying their disappearance has left them “traumatized and fearful.”
Njagi and Oyoo were reportedly in Uganda on a civil society assignment linked to cross-border youth advocacy and regional integration. Their abduction has not only raised questions about their safety but also about the shrinking civic space in the region.
While Kenya and Uganda have historically enjoyed cordial relations, the case poses a diplomatic test for both governments. Nairobi is under growing domestic and international pressure to secure the release of its citizens, while Kampala faces scrutiny over the alleged involvement of its security operatives.
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