Kenyan Activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo Go Missing in Uganda After Alleged Abduction at Bobi Wine Rally

Two Kenyan human rights activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have gone missing in Uganda after they were reportedly abducted by armed men. The pair were attending an opposition campaign event led by Bobi Wine, sparking concerns of cross-border crackdowns on dissent in East Africa.

Abduction at Petrol Station

According to eyewitnesses, the two were seized on Wednesday afternoon at a petrol station near Bobi Wine’s rally. Four armed men forced them into a vehicle, and their current whereabouts remain unknown.

A fellow activist who witnessed the incident told Kenya’s Citizen TV: “There were four of them. There was also a lady in front. They took Bob and Oyoo Ochieng, who is the secretary general of the Free Kenya Movement.”

Both activists’ phones have been switched off since the incident.

Bobi Wine Condemns the Disappearance

Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, is running for Uganda’s presidency against 80-year-old President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. He strongly condemned the abductions, describing them as “mafia-style” kidnappings.

“We condemn the continuing lawlessness by the rogue regime and demand that these brothers are released unconditionally! The regime abducted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause!” Bobi Wine posted on X.

Activists Under Threat

Kenyan rights group Vocal Africa has also demanded the immediate release of Njagi and Oyoo. Videos circulating online show Njagi standing on stage beside Bobi Wine during the rally, highlighting their active involvement in the campaign.

This is not the first time Bob Njagi has been targeted. Last year in Kenya, he was picked up by masked men during a wave of disappearances of government critics. He resurfaced more than a month later after a court intervened, recounting harrowing conditions in captivity, including isolation and food deprivation.

A Pattern Across East Africa

The disappearances reflect a troubling trend across the region. Earlier this year, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire were detained in Tanzania and reported severe mistreatment before being dumped at their respective borders.

Similarly, Uganda’s opposition figure Kizza Besigye vanished in Nairobi last year, only to reappear days later in a military court in Uganda facing treason charges.

These incidents have fueled fears that East African governments may be working together to silence dissent through abductions, secret detentions, and intimidation.