Yet-to-be-identified armed men have abducted two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, in Uganda while attending an opposition campaign event for presidential hopeful Bobi Wine.
However, Ugandan police spokesman Kituma Rusoke denied knowledge of their whereabouts. “Those fellows are not in police custody. Reach out to any other [security] agency, maybe, just in case,” Rusoke told the BBC. Similarly, Ugandan army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye said he could not confirm the allegations, arguing that Bobi Wine should provide proof of which security agency was involved.
Also, Kenya’s foreign ministry has distanced itself from the matter. A Kenyan government representative, Michael Muchiri, told the BBC he was not aware of the case.
Meanwhile, a fellow activist who reportedly witnessed the incident on Wednesday afternoon said that four armed men carried out the abduction of the activists. “There were four of them. There was also a lady who was seated in front; they took Bob and Oyoo Ochieng, who is the secretary general of the Free Kenya Movement,” the witness was quoted as saying, requesting anonymity for security reasons.
The witness added that neither man could be reached on their phones, and their whereabouts remained unknown. It was reported that Njagi was actively participating in Bobi Wine’s campaign, including appearing on stage alongside the opposition leader. The pair had reportedly travelled to Uganda on Monday before linking up with campaign organisers.
Reacting to the incident, Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, strongly condemned the abduction of the activists, saying that they were “picked up mafia-style” at a petrol station and driven to an unknown location.
“We strongly condemn the abduction by armed operatives, of Kenyan activists and human rights defenders Bob Nyagi and Nicholas Ayoo,” Bobi Wine said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He added, “The two were picked up mafia-style this afternoon from a petrol station in Kireka and driven off to an unknown destination! “We condemn the continuing lawlessness by the rogue regime and demand that these brothers be released unconditionally! “The criminal regime apparently abducted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause!”
Njagi has previously faced similar ordeals. In Kenya last year, he was seized by masked men during a wave of abductions targeting government critics. He remained missing for more than a month before resurfacing after a court ordered police to produce him. Njagi later described being held in harsh conditions, isolated and deprived of food.
The latest disappearances add to a growing list of incidents involving political activists and opposition figures across East Africa. Earlier this year, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania and held incommunicado before being abandoned at their respective borders. Both later reported brutal mistreatment, including sexual torture, claims dismissed by Tanzanian authorities as “hearsay.”
Last year, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye vanished in Nairobi before resurfacing four days later in an Ugandan military court, where he faces treason charges. Ugandan security agencies have long faced accusations of abducting opposition supporters using non-uniformed operatives, with some victims later reappearing in court.
As Bobi Wine prepares to challenge long-time president Yoweri Museveni in next year’s election, the latest case has renewed concerns over shrinking democratic space and the regional trend of cross-border crackdowns on dissent.
