After 38 harrowing days of disappearance, Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo have finally been released and are back home. Their freedom follows what authorities described as “lengthy engagements” between Kenyan and Ugandan officials.
According to Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, the two were handed over to Kenya’s High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi, before being escorted to the Busia border. They were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga, marking the end of a month-long ordeal that had sparked nationwide concern.
Sing’oei expressed gratitude to all those involved in securing the activists’ release, adding that a detailed account of the diplomatic process would be shared later.
Human rights organizations, including the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), VOCAL Africa, and Amnesty Kenya, jointly welcomed the news. Amnesty Kenya thanked both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments, as well as former President Uhuru Kenyatta, for their cooperation in ensuring the activists’ safe return.
“We thank their families, Free Kenya movement colleagues, journalists, diplomats, and active citizens who tirelessly campaigned for this moment,” Amnesty said in a statement. “Let this moment signal an important shift towards upholding the human rights of East Africans anywhere in the region.”
LSK President Faith Odhiambo echoed this sentiment, saying the release should mark a new chapter in protecting the rights of East Africans. Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru credited Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo for leading the legal team that negotiated the release, confirming the activists were set to arrive at JKIA at 1 p.m.
Activist Boniface Mwangi praised Kenyans for their unity, stating, “Your voices and actions secured their release from detention in Uganda.”
As the two prepare to reunite with their families in Nairobi, Amnesty Kenya and VOCAL Africa are calling for a transparent investigation into their disappearance to ensure accountability and protect civic freedoms in the region.
