Fear and outrage have gripped East Africa after two Kenyan human rights activists mysteriously disappeared in Uganda. The pair, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were reportedly abducted by armed men at a petrol station in Kampala while attending a campaign event for opposition leader Bobi Wine. The activists were bundled into a vehicle and whisked away to an unknown location.
Bobi Wine, who is preparing to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in Uganda’s 2026 elections, condemned the abduction. He described it as a targeted attack on his supporters, accusing the regime of criminalising solidarity. “We demand their unconditional release,” he wrote on X, insisting they were taken simply for associating with him.
Ugandan police quickly distanced themselves, denying they had the men in custody. Spokesman Kituma Rusoke suggested “another agency” could be behind it, while the army said Bobi Wine must prove who was responsible. This response mirrors past incidents, as Ugandan security services have often been accused of abducting opposition supporters in plainclothes before later producing them in court.
Rights groups are raising alarm. The Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty International Kenya, and Vocal Africa issued a joint letter demanding answers from Ugandan authorities. They described the disappearance as part of a growing pattern of abductions across East Africa. Meanwhile, Kenyan officials claim they have little information on the matter.
Eyewitnesses reported that four armed men carried out the operation, with one woman inside the getaway car. Videos also surfaced online showing Njagi on stage with Bobi Wine earlier that week. Both activists had travelled to Uganda with other supporters to boost Wine’s campaign.
The case has revived painful memories. Njagi himself was abducted in Kenya in 2024 and held for over a month before resurfacing following a court order. Other regional cases — including the detention of activist Boniface Mwangi and journalist Agather Atuhaire in Tanzania, as well as the brief disappearance of opposition figure Kizza Besigye — underline a worrying trend of enforced disappearances.
Analysts warn that these new abductions could be part of coordinated attempts by East African governments to silence dissent. With President Museveni, now 80, preparing for yet another term, fears are growing that suppression of opposition voices may intensify as the 2026 elections draw closer.
