Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nick Oyoo were reunited with their families on Saturday at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), ending a 39-day ordeal in Uganda.
The activists, visibly frail, recounted the extreme hardship they endured while held incommunicado at Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe by Uganda’s special forces.
“I didn’t eat for 14 days. We were tortured,” said Bob Njagi, struggling to hold back tears as he described his time in detention.
Family members, accompanied by human rights activists, welcomed the two men with relief and emotion. Nick Oyoo’s mother expressed her gratitude: “God has done it, and we thank God for what He has done,” she said, embracing her son. Njagi and Oyoo’s families also thanked everyone who had supported efforts to bring them home safely.
Their release was the result of high-level negotiations, including interventions by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and the persistent advocacy of civil society groups.
Houghton Irungu, Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya, said: “We would just like to say that we believe that, it was also a product of the pressure of ordinary people, of human rights, defenders, of journalists, of civil society, and therefore complexively, we can be proud of this moment that we now have both a Nick with us.”
Representatives from Amnesty International, Vocal Africa, and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) described the return as a relief but warned the situation reflects a worrying pattern.
“We are afraid that if these trends witnessed in Tanzania and Uganda continue, human rights violations will be more rampant,” said Irene Soile of Amnesty International.
Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of Vocal Africa, urged citizens in the region to remain united.
“The long journey for justice now begins. If we remain silent, oppressive regimes will come for us. We are calling on citizens of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to unite — an attack against one country is an attack against all of us,” he said.
The activists’ release was confirmed on Saturday morning when Ugandan authorities handed them over to the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala.
Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga received them at the border. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei confirmed their safe return, posting: “Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo are free and on Kenyan territory. They were released to our High Commissioner in Uganda, Joash Maangi, after lengthy engagements.”
Njagi and Oyoo were reportedly abducted on October 1, 2025, while attending campaign events for Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform in Uganda. Their disappearance sparked an international outcry, with human rights groups and the Kenyan government advocating for their release.
