Kenyan Activists Reported Missing in Uganda as UPDF Denies Custody

Two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have gone missing in Uganda, prompting concerns over their safety and sparking calls for accountability. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has denied holding the activists, saying investigations found no evidence of their presence in any military detention facility.

The alleged abduction occurred on October 1, when Njagi and Oyoo, who were supporting National Unity Platform presidential candidate Bobi Wine, were reportedly seized by four armed men suspected to be security personnel. Eyewitnesses claimed the activists were forced into a vehicle, after which their phones were switched off, intensifying fears for their whereabouts.

In an affidavit submitted to the courts, Col. Silas Kamanda, Director at the Joint Staff Legal Services, stated that the UPDF conducted thorough searches of detention centers, custody logs, and lock-up registers. “We have carried out investigations and found no entry relating to the said Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi between October 1, 2025, to date,” Kamanda said. “We therefore confirm that they are not within the custody of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and we do not know their whereabouts.”

Bobi Wine condemned the alleged abductions, accusing President Yoweri Museveni’s government of violating human rights and fostering a culture of impunity. He compared the incident to the disappearance of Sam Mugumya two months earlier, who remains missing. “A regime that promised to end gross human rights violations is now blatantly engaging in even worse,” Wine wrote on social media.

Human rights organizations have urged regional leaders to intervene, calling for transparency and protection of political activists. They warned that such abductions threaten freedom of expression and undermine democratic principles across East Africa.

Families and supporters continue to demand urgent action to locate Njagi and Oyoo, highlighting the growing concerns over the safety of political activists operating in Uganda. The case underscores persistent challenges for civil liberties in the region and the need for authorities to provide clear answers about the activists’ fate.