“Stop Exporting Your Bad Manners”: Nandi Senator Cherargei Warns Kenyan Activists Over Foreign Interference

Nandi County Senator Samson Cherargei has condemned Kenyan human rights activists. He accused them of interfering in neighboring countries’ politics. Speaking at a Sunday service at PAG Church in Kapsabet, he said such actions threaten national sovereignty.

“Stop exporting your bad manners to other countries. Uganda and Tanzania are sovereign. Those proven to destabilize other nations deserve punishment and repatriation,” Cherargei said. His remarks followed the return of activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo. They had spent 38 days detained in Uganda.

Njagi and Oyoo traveled to Kampala to support opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also called Bobi Wine. They went missing on October 1 in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District. Reports said armed men abducted them. The activists were released on November 8 and handed over to the Kenyan High Commission in Uganda.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Musalia Mudavadi said the release came after “sustained diplomatic engagement” with Uganda. Open communication helped ensure their safe return.

Cherargei urged regional leaders, including Uganda’s President Museveni and Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu, to act firmly. “If you find activists trying to destabilize your country, send them home and resolve the matter,” he said.

President Museveni confirmed Njagi and Oyoo had been in custody. He accused them of working with Kyagulanyi to incite riots. “We have strong intelligence. These Kenyans were with Kyagulanyi’s group. They are experts in riots,” Museveni said.

The arrests have alarmed human rights defenders and civil society groups. Njagi and Oyoo’s case mirrors previous incidents, such as the detention of Kenya’s Boniface Mwangi and Uganda’s Agatha Atuhairwe in Tanzania, where opposition leader Tundu Lissu faced treason charges.

Cherargei’s warning highlights the tension between activism and national sovereignty. He stressed that human rights work is important. But advocacy must respect other nations’ laws. He called for responsible activism. He warned that interference in other countries’ politics would face strict consequences.