Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine, has condemned the Ugandan government for failing to produce two missing Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, in court as ordered. The duo, members of the Free Kenya Movement, reportedly disappeared after being abducted by plain-clothed security operatives during a political rally in Kampala on October 1, 2025.
Bobi Wine expressed outrage over what he described as growing impunity and disregard for human rights by the authorities. He accused the government of continuing a pattern of enforced disappearances, referencing other recent abductions linked to opposition politics. According to him, the administration’s refusal to comply with court orders reflects an entrenched culture of dictatorship and repression.
The High Court in Kampala had ordered the state to present Njagi and Oyoo following a habeas corpus application filed by human rights lawyers demanding accountability for their disappearance. However, the government failed to comply, prompting the court to postpone the hearing and request a written explanation.
Civil society organizations across the region have joined in calling for the activists’ immediate release. In Kenya, groups such as the Law Society of Kenya and the Defenders Coalition have staged demonstrations outside the Ugandan High Commission in Nairobi. Regional organizations including Kongamano La Mapinduzi, the 6.25 Movement, Vocal Africa, and the NUP Kenya Chapter have also demanded answers.
Amnesty International Kenya has launched a petition urging Ugandan authorities to reveal the activists’ whereabouts and ensure their safety. The organization emphasized that each passing day without answers deepens the suffering of their families and erodes trust in regional justice systems.
Bobi Wine warned that the abduction of Njagi and Oyoo should serve as a wake-up call to all East Africans about the growing threat of authoritarianism. He urged citizens to remain vigilant and resist efforts to silence dissent through intimidation and unlawful detention.
He stated that if such injustices are left unchecked, they could easily spread beyond Uganda’s borders. “Today it is our Kenyan brothers,” he warned, “tomorrow it could be anyone who speaks truth to power.”
