Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo say they were tortured and dehumanised during their 38 days of detention in what they said they discerned as Ugandan military facilities.
Following their release on Friday night, they are now finally back with their families after days of protests, court cases, and diplomatic pressure. ‘Thirty-eight days of abduction is not easy,’ said Mr Njagi in Nairobi. He claimed that they had been abducted by the military and were being kept under a special military command.
‘It has been difficult. We were tortured and dehumanised. I, myself, did not eat for 14 days. I was fasting,’ Mr Njagi added. Mr Oyoo said they are ‘traumatised but happy to be home’ after a harrowing ordeal in the neighbouring country.
‘At this point, we don’t want to say much because we have to go for some medical attention. We are traumatised, but we are happy to be home. I’m happy to be here,’ he added. ‘There are things I might have taken for granted. Today, I may not take them for granted. And I believe that this is a moment and all those moments are taking us forward.’
At the time of their arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, tens of fellow activists had gathered in solidarity. They stood close together, chanting ‘viva’ in a steady rhythm. Their voices rose as they shifted into singing the national anthem, then calling out ‘shame on you, Museveni!’ in reference to the Ugandan president. According to Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, the two were released ‘after lengthy engagements’. ‘They were handed over to our High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi.
They were escorted by the ambassador and Ugandan government officials to the Busia border, where they were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga,’ he posted on social media. Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also doubles up as Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, had written to Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen Jeje Odongo, urging Kampala to act swiftly in tracing the duo. The first official protest was conveyed through a Note Verbale sent by Kenya’s High Commission in Kampala on October 3, and sources told the Nation that the high-level negotiations leading to the release of the two included intervention by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The two activists’ families were left horrified last month when a Ugandan court said it could not compel the government to produce them while there was no evidence to show that it had them. Mr Njagi’s cousin, Ms Caren Kiarie, said the family received a call around 10pm on Friday, informing them that the two activists had been released. The informer told them that they were already on their way to the Busia border. ‘They were handed over to me by the Busia County Commissioner at around 2am,’ said Ms Kiarie, who organised their transport and escorted them to Kisumu.
She said the activists had been escorted to the border by the Ugandan army before being handed over to the Kenyan authorities. Mr Nobert Ochieng, Mr Oyoo’s brother who spoke with the Nation on phone, said the news brought immense relief to their family. ‘It’s a great relief to the family. They might not be in good shape, but they are alive,’ he said. ‘No one knew where they were, or whether they were alive. My mother is happy that her son is alive. That was our biggest prayer.’
A couple of hours after they arrived at the Kenya-Uganda border, the activists were escorted to a restroom in Kisumu to freshen up. The two also shaved their hair and changed into new clothes and shoes before heading to the Kisumu International Airport in preparation for a flight to Nairobi. When they addressed the media briefly in Kisumu, the two appreciated Kenyans for standing with them. ‘I want to thank Kenyans for their support.
What we went through in Uganda is something that I never imagined. I want to thank you all for fighting for our release. We probably would never have been here without you,’ said Mr Oyoo. ‘We have gone through a lot in the last 38 days. We will speak more after treatment,’ said Mr Njagi. When they landed at the JKIA, they looked visibly shaken. Additional reporting by Shaban Makokha, Angeline Ochieng, Domnic Ombok and Gloria Valerie
Rights bodies react
Mr Irungu Hougton, the executive director for Amnesty International-Kenya, warned that disturbing trends in Tanzania and Uganda signal a rising threat to human rights, which could affect the general elections in Uganda in 2026 and in Kenya in 2027.
‘Tanzanians have demonstrated courage despite threats, and Ugandans and Kenyans must do the same. In solidarity, the people of East Africa must ensure that elections are free, fair, and democratic. Elections are the fundamental bond between the people and their governments. They are the space where citizens can challenge oppression,’ he said.
The activists’ ordeal, he said, ‘reminds us that any of us could face such treatment if we remain silent’. ‘Oppressive regimes thrive on our silence. An attack on one human rights defender is an attack on all defenders across Africa,’ said Mr Irungu. Ms Betty Okero, the vice chairperson of the Kenya Human Rights Commission, said the activists were arrested in Uganda while attending a rally of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine. ‘The two were arrested shortly after their arrival before going missing,’ said Ms Okero, adding that several organisations stood with the two throughout their detention.