Kenya has intensified diplomatic efforts to obtain answers from Uganda over the disappearance of two of its citizens, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who went missing in Kampala 37 days ago under suspicious circumstances allegedly involving Ugandan security personnel.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has raised concerns over the lack of response from Ugandan authorities despite numerous attempts by Kenya to establish their whereabouts. The matter has strained communications as repeated diplomatic notes have gone unanswered, leaving Nairobi frustrated.
In a letter addressed to Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, General Odongo Abubakhar, Mudavadi highlighted that Kenya’s repeated engagement on the issue had not produced any substantive response.
“This communication follows up on the note verbale dated October 3, 2025. It also follows additional engagements by our ambassador in Kampala and phone calls between our principal/permanent secretaries,” Mudavadi emphasized.
He further expressed deep concern that nearly a month had passed since Kenya’s initial outreach, yet no formal update had been received from Uganda regarding the safety or location of Njagi and Oyoo.
Mudavadi made it clear that Kenya was seeking more than acknowledgment; the government expects to know what steps Uganda has taken in response to the situation. The two citizens were reportedly abducted from a petrol station in Kampala on October 1, raising alarm over their safety and welfare.
The urgency of the matter has been heightened following a decision by a Ugandan High Court to dismiss a habeas corpus petition filed to compel the authorities to produce the two men.
According to the petition, the activists were being held in military custody after involvement in campaigning for opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine.
Mudavadi stressed that both countries have a shared responsibility to protect citizens within and beyond their borders.
“As your excellency is aware, we are both duty bound to the protection and safety of our citizens both at home and abroad. We believe that prompt action on this matter is therefore important to upholding our shared values, honouring the treaty for the establishment of the East African Community, and preserving the strong, long-standing relations between Kenya and Uganda,” he stated.
To strengthen pressure on Kampala, civil society groups have called on Kenyans and concerned citizens to participate in an email campaign targeting President Yoweri Museveni, urging immediate action to locate and ensure the safety of the missing nationals.
The diplomatic impasse has drawn widespread attention, highlighting the delicate balance in Kenya-Uganda relations while raising urgent questions about the security of citizens in the region.
