Two Kenyan human rights activists who disappeared in Uganda over a month ago have been found alive and safe, according to Kenyan rights groups.
Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo vanished five weeks ago after attending a political rally in support of Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine. Eyewitnesses reported that the pair were forcibly taken by masked men in uniform, sparking fears they had been abducted by state agents.
On Saturday, activist organisation Vocal Africa announced that the two had been located in Busia, Uganda, and were being escorted back to Nairobi.
“Let this moment signal an important shift towards upholding the human rights of East Africans anywhere in the East African Community,” the group wrote on Instagram.
While Ugandan police denied holding the men, persistent lobbying by Kenyan rights groups and international organisations eventually led to their release.
In a joint statement, Vocal Africa, the Law Society of Kenya, and Amnesty International expressed gratitude to activists, diplomats, journalists, and citizens who campaigned relentlessly for the men’s freedom.
Bobi Wine, who plans to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in next year’s election, accused Ugandan authorities of targeting his supporters.
Uganda’s security forces have long faced accusations of abducting and detaining opposition figures in secret. Many victims later reappear in court facing politically motivated charges.
Njagi’s disappearance mirrored a 2023 incident in Kenya, when he was abducted by masked men amid a crackdown on government critics. He resurfaced a month later after a court order forced police to produce him.
This latest case adds to a growing list of cross-border abductions involving activists in East Africa, raising concerns of regional collaboration to suppress dissent.