Ugandan Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has criticised President Yoweri Museveni over the detention of two Kenyan activists accused of working with the Ugandan Opposition.
In a statement reacting to a video of Museveni’s remarks, Bobi Wine accused the Ugandan president of admitting to the illegal abduction and prolonged detention of the two Kenyans — Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo — who were reportedly held incommunicado for 39 days.
“In this video, Museveni confirms that our Kenyan brothers Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were abducted and kept under incommunicado detention for 39 days for their association with us,” Bobi Wine said.
“He claims that they underwent all the torture and suffering because they're ‘experts in riots’. Shame upon you.”
Bobi Wine questioned why the two were not charged in court if they had committed any offence, accusing Museveni’s government of violating due process and using state security agencies to silence dissent.
“If they committed any offence, why were they not produced before court and formally charged?” he asked, adding that the activists had revealed being detained alongside Ugandans and other foreign nationals.
“Incidentally, these brothers confirmed that they were being detained with so many Ugandans and people from other countries. Could those include our supporters who have been missing for 5 or 6 years now?”
The Opposition leader said Museveni’s admission would serve as evidence of human rights violations under his rule.
“We have a duty to fight and defeat this criminality,” Bobi Wine stated.
“Thankfully, these confessions by Museveni will always be on record and they will come in handy when the time comes to account for the crimes committed against the people of Uganda.”
Museveni’s earlier remarks, made in an interview, indicated that the two Kenyans had been arrested for allegedly working with Kyagulanyi’s group as experts in organising riots.
“Here we have got very good intelligence. For instance, we have got two Kenyans whom we arrested. They have been with us, I have their names but I cannot remember them. They came and were working with Kyagulanyi’s group that they are experts in riots,” Museveni said during the interview.
The Ugandan leader alleged that the two Kenyans were working closely with members of the Opposition to coordinate street protests and acts of civil disobedience.
Museveni’s remarks came hours after Njagi and Oyoo were released and handed over to the Kenyan High Commission officials who escorted them to the Kenyan border.
