NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo arrived back in the country on Saturday afternoon after a harrowing 39-day ordeal, during which they claim they were held incommunicado and subjected to torture by Ugandan military special forces.
Speaking at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after flying in from Kisumu, the visibly frail activists confirmed they endured starvation and physical abuse while detained at the Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe.
Bob Njagi struggled to hold back tears as he recounted their suffering:
“We were in military detention by the special forces. I didn’t eat for 14 days. We were tortured,” said Bob Njagi.
Calls for justice and regional unity
The activists were met emotionally at the airport by their families and representatives from various human rights organizations, who thanked all those involved in securing their freedom and passionately appealed for justice.
Nick Oyoo’s mother was overcome with gratitude, stating: “God has done it, and we thank God for what He has done,” welcoming her son home.
The incident was highlighted as a dangerous reflection of regional political repression. Representatives from Amnesty International, Vocal Africa, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) warned that such abuses must be checked.
Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of Vocal Africa, stressed the need for solidarity:
“We must arrest these human rights violations; otherwise, we will see very violent elections in East Africa.”
Irene Soile of Amnesty International echoed this concern: “We are afraid that if these trends witnessed in Tanzania and Uganda continue, human rights violations will be more rampant.”
Khalid added a rallying call: “The long journey for justice now begins. If we remain silent, oppressive regimes will come for us. We are calling on citizens of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to unite — an attack against one country is an attack against all of us.”
Diplomatic and high-level intervention
Amnesty International disclosed that the activists’ release was achieved through high-level negotiations. Felix Wambua of the Free Kenya Movement specifically credited former President Uhuru Kenyatta with intervening:
“Without the intervention of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, I don’t know if we would have managed,” said Felix Wambua of the Free Kenya Movement.
Also Read: Uganda police deny holding Kenyan activists six days after abduction in Kampala
The activists were confirmed free late Friday night when Ugandan authorities officially handed them over to the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala, led by High Commissioner Joash Maangi, before being received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga at the border.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed the news on social media that the duo was safely back:
“Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo are free and on Kenyan territory. They were released to our High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi, after lengthy engagements,” he posted on X.
Njagi and Oyoo were reportedly abducted on October 1, 2025, after attending the campaign events of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform. The ordeal has reignited cross-border security and human rights debates across East Africa, especially following earlier allegations by Bobi Wine that Uganda’s first son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, personally ordered their detention.
