Kenyan Activists Missing in Uganda Found Safe After Five Weeks

Kenyan Activists Missing in Uganda Found Safe After Five Weeks

Two Kenyan human rights activists who went missing in Uganda over a month ago have finally been found alive, bringing relief to their families and supporters across East Africa.

   The Disappearance

According to BBC The activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo disappeared five weeks ago after attending a political event in Uganda in support of opposition leader Bobi Wine.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the two men being forced into a vehicle by masked individuals dressed in uniform shortly after the event.

   Confirmed Safe After Weeks of Uncertainty

On Saturday, the human rights group Vocal Africa confirmed that Njagi and Oyoo were safe and were being transported from Busia, Uganda back to Nairobi, Kenya.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the organization wrote:

"Let this moment signal an important shift towards upholding the human rights of East Africans anywhere in the East African Community.”

Their safe return comes after weeks of intense pressure from human rights organizations, lawyers, and diplomats demanding information on their whereabouts.

     Human Rights Groups Speak Out

While Ugandan police denied holding the activists, several organizations including Vocal Africa the Law Society of Kenya and Amnesty International campaigned relentlessly for their release.

In a joint statement, AOL shared that the groups expressed gratitude to the Kenyan and Ugandan authorities, journalists, and “all active citizens who tirelessly campaigned for this moment.”

     Political Tensions in the Region

The disappearance occurred against a backdrop of heightened political tension in Uganda.

Bobi Wine, a former pop star turned politician, is preparing to challenge President Yoweri Museveni who has ruled since 1986, in next year’s elections.

Wine accused the Ugandan government of targeting the two Kenyans simply for associating with his campaign.

Ugandan security agencies have long faced accusations of detaining opposition supporters in secret, often without charge, and later producing them in court on questionable grounds.

    A Pattern of Regional Abductions

This case is not an isolated incident. Across East Africa, several activists and opposition figures have faced similar abductions and detentions in recent years.

Last year, Bob Njagi himself was abducted in Kenya by masked men during a wave of disappearances targeting government critics. He was released a month later after a court order, later recounting the inhumane treatment he endured while in captivity.

Earlier this year, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan journalist Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania and held incommunicado for several days. They alleged brutal mistreatment, including sexual assault claims Tanzanian authorities dismissed as “hearsay.”

Similarly, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye vanished in Nairobi last year, only to reappear four days later before a military court in Uganda facing treason charges.

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 Growing Concerns Over Cross-Border Crackdowns

These recurring incidents have raised alarm among human rights observers, who warn that East African governments may be cooperating to silence political dissent across borders.

The safe return of Njagi and Oyoo offers a glimmer of hope but it also underscores the urgent need for greater accountability, transparency, and respect for human rights across the region.