Ugandan President Museveni Confirms 38-Day Detention of Two Kenyan Activists

By Hassan Wekesa - Editor

Uganda, 10 November 2025 - In a surprising admission, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday confirmed that two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were detained in Uganda for 38 days.

The pair were released between Friday night and Saturday, 7-8 November 2025, after being held since their abduction on 1 October 2025.

Museveni justified the action by calling them "experts in riots," claiming they posed a threat during a political rally.

Njagi and Oyoo, both linked to the Free Kenya Movement, had travelled to Kampala to support Ugandan opposition leader and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine at a campaign event.

Witnesses said the activists were seized in broad daylight by security forces, sparking immediate concern about their safety. For weeks, their location was unknown, until reports emerged that they were being kept at a military barracks.

"We held the two... I have forgotten their names, but they tried to destabilise our country Uganda," Museveni said while in Mbale during a brief session with members of the press.

He also revealed they had been held in what he called "the fridge," a term believed to refer to a cold, isolated detention facility. This revelation confirming a possible torture.

The two activists claimed they were held under harsh conditions, with Njagi saying he had to fast for 14 days.

General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni's son and a high-ranking military official, was also named in connection with the orders.

The detention caused widespread anger across East Africa. Civil society groups, such as Amnesty International and VOCAL Africa, called for their immediate release, highlighting fears of cross-border abductions.

Protests erupted in Nairobi and other Kenyan cities, with demonstrators demanding action from their government. The Kenyan foreign affairs ministry stepped in with diplomatic efforts, pressing Uganda for answers.

It was later disclosed by Amnesty International-Kenya boss, Irungu Houghton, that former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta played a vital role in the negotiations.

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He reportedly spoke directly to Museveni, urging a peaceful resolution and emphasising regional ties. After their release, Njagi and Oyoo were handed over to the Kenyan High Commission in Uganda, led by Joash Maangi, before returning home through the Busia border.

Upon arrival in Nairobi, they spoke to the media, describing harsh conditions during their ordeal.

Njagi said they faced interrogations about their activism and links to opposition figures.

"We were treated like criminals for standing up for democracy," he told reporters.

Oyoo added that the experience highlighted the risks faced by human rights defenders in the region.

Museveni's confirmation came during a public address, where he defended the arrests as necessary for national security.

He accused the activists of stirring unrest, drawing parallels to past protests in Kenya. Critics, however, see this as part of a pattern of suppressing dissent ahead of Uganda's elections.

Bobi Wine, whose rally the Kenyans attended, condemned the incident as an attack on free speech.

This case has raised questions about relations between Kenya and Uganda. Analysts say it could strain ties, especially with ongoing trade and border issues. Human rights watchdogs are now calling for investigations into similar abductions.

Already, Kenya and Tanzania, another East African nation, are in a frosty relation after Kenyan expatriates working in Tanzania were killed during anti-elections protests that swept the country on 29 October 2025, where incumbent Samia Suluhu Hassan was declared winner with about 98% of the vote.