Two Kenyan human rights defenders who disappeared in Uganda more than a month ago have been released after 37 days in captivity.
Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were reportedly abducted by armed men at a petrol station in Kaliro District, eastern Uganda, during a campaign rally held by opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine. The two were allegedly forced into a vehicle and taken to an unknown location, sparking regional concern and outcry from activists, lawyers, and politicians in both Kenya and Uganda.
Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Dr Abraham Korir Sing’Oei, confirmed their release in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) and published by the Daily Nation.
“Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo are free and on Kenyan territory. Late last night, after lengthy engagements, the two were released to our High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi,” Dr Sing’Oei said.
He added that Ugandan officials and Ambassador Maangi escorted the pair to the Busia border, where they were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga.
Their release ends weeks of uncertainty during which the Ugandan authorities denied knowledge of their whereabouts.
Legal efforts and denials
Earlier this month, Kampala High Court judge Simon Peter Kinobe ruled that there was insufficient evidence linking their disappearance to the Ugandan government, dismissing a habeas corpus petition filed by their lawyers.
“A person may go missing voluntarily or due to accidents, crime, or other causes,” the judge said, adding that “the state can only produce what it has.”
However, lawyers representing the activists, Eron Kiiza and Kato Tumusiime, maintained that the men were kidnapped by individuals in both military and civilian clothing and driven away in a Toyota Hiace van — locally known as a “drone” — a vehicle often associated with the abductions of political dissidents.
Their petition had sought court orders compelling senior Ugandan security officials, including the Chief of Defence Forces, Chief of Defence Intelligence, Inspector General of Police, and Attorney General, to produce the missing men, dead or alive.
Affidavits filed in court alleged that Njagi and Oyoo were being held in a military detention facility in Mbuya, Kampala, under the command of the Defence Intelligence and Security Directorate.
In response, both the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Uganda Police denied having the pair in custody.
Regional reaction
Following the news of their release, Faith Odhiambo, president of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), welcomed the development, describing it as a victory for solidarity among citizens and human rights defenders.
“We appreciate the tireless efforts of their families, Free Kenya movement colleagues, and everyone who campaigned for their freedom,” she said. “This moment should mark a new commitment to protecting the human rights of East Africans across the region.”
Kenyan legal experts also questioned Uganda’s handling of the case. Law professor Jamil Mujuzi said the High Court’s ruling had been undermined by the activists’ eventual release.
“It proves that the decision claiming they were merely ‘missing’ was wrong,” he said. “It was always reasonable to believe they were in state custody. The question now is whether they will seek legal redress for the violation of their rights.”
Others voiced doubts about the role of both governments. Dr Duncan Onyango, a Kenyan academic, wrote online: “It’s hard to believe they were detained in Uganda without the knowledge or involvement of our government. Accountability must follow.”
Their release came shortly after an open letter by the Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty International Kenya, and Vocal Africa to Uganda’s High Commission in Nairobi, condemning what they described as “a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances in the region.”
