Release of Kenyan Activists After Diplomatic Efforts
Two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have been released after being abducted in Uganda over a month ago. Their release followed intense diplomatic negotiations between Kenya and Uganda, marking a significant development in the case that had sparked widespread concern.
Dr Korir Sing’oei, the Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary of Kenya, confirmed on Saturday that both individuals 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. He added that the two were handed over to Kenya’s High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi, by Ugandan officials. They were escorted to Busia border town and received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga at 2 am.
Mr Chaunga told Nation that the duo arrived at Busia and were then handed over to their families. The release has brought relief to their loved ones and the broader Kenyan community, who had been anxiously awaiting news of their whereabouts.
The two activists had gone missing on October 1, when they were reportedly abducted by armed men in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, Uganda. Their phones were switched off immediately after the incident, and their location remained unknown for more than a month. The disappearance triggered an outcry from civil society groups and human rights organizations in Kenya and abroad, prompting the Kenyan government to intensify diplomatic pressure on Uganda to account for their whereabouts.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also serves as Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, had 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.
“This incident has caused immense distress to their families, elicited intense public concern in our country, and drawn international attention from human rights organizations,” Mr Mudavadi wrote. He reminded Uganda that both governments are “duty bound to the protection and safety of our citizens both at home and abroad,” emphasizing the need for prompt action to uphold the values of the East African Community (EAC) and preserve the “strong, long-standing relations” between the two neighboring nations.
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. A senior MFA officer stated, “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.”
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 communication also referenced a letter by human rights organization 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.
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 offense. 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 organizations, 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.
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.