For the first time since their disappearance, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has acknowledged that two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were detained by Ugandan security operatives for over five weeks. The activists went missing last month after attending a political event in Uganda, where they expressed support for opposition leader Bobi Wine. Eyewitnesses reported that masked men in uniform forced them into a vehicle shortly after the gathering, sparking regional outrage. In a live interview on Saturday, Museveni described the pair as “experts in riots” and said they had been put “in the fridge for some days.” He accused foreign actors of stirring unrest in East Africa and warned that those involved in such activities in Uganda would “end up badly.” Museveni revealed that the activists were released following calls from unnamed Kenyan leaders requesting their freedom. Upon their return to Kenya, Njagi and Oyoo were warmly received by supporters at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn’t think we would come out alive because we were being abducted by the military,” Njagi said. Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, confirmed that their release resulted from sustained diplomatic engagement between the two countries. Human rights groups, including Vocal Africa, the Law Society of Kenya, and Amnesty International, welcomed the release, calling it a step toward protecting the rights of East Africans across the region. Bobi Wine criticized the Ugandan authorities, questioning why the activists were not formally charged if they had committed any offense. The case has raised concerns about a growing trend of cross-border abductions and political detentions in East Africa.
