Two Kenyan human rights defenders, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have been missing since October 1, 2025, following what advocacy groups describe as a targeted abduction in Kampala, Uganda.
According to eyewitness accounts, the pair who had traveled to support Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine’s campaign were intercepted at a petrol station in Kireka under the guise of a vehicle malfunction. Armed men, some dressed in police uniforms and others in civilian clothing, reportedly forced them into a van. Their phones were immediately deactivated, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
The disappearance has triggered swift condemnation from regional and international rights organizations. Amnesty International Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya, and VOCAL Africa have jointly called on Ugandan authorities to reveal the activists’ location and guarantee their safety.
Kenyan Senator Samson Cherargei has also weighed in, urging Uganda to act decisively. He labeled the incident “unacceptable” and emphasized that peaceful cross-border activism should not be criminalized. Bobi Wine, meanwhile, denounced the event as emblematic of “rogue lawlessness” and demanded the immediate release of Njagi and Oyoo.
Analysts warn that the case reflects a troubling trend of transnational repression in East Africa, where activists and political dissidents have increasingly faced cross-border threats and detentions. The incident has reignited concerns over coordinated efforts to stifle dissent across national boundaries.
As diplomatic pressure mounts, the fate of Njagi and Oyoo remains uncertain. Yet their disappearance has galvanized calls for accountability and renewed efforts to protect civic freedoms throughout the region.
