Activists Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo freed after 38-day disappearance in Uganda

Kenyan human‑rights activists Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi were safely released late Friday night after 38 days of enforced disappearance in Uganda.

Their release has sparked relief among civil‑society organisations and diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda.

According to a joint statement by the Free Kenya Movement, Amnesty Kenya, VOCAL Africa and the Law Society of Kenya, the activists’ safe return was the result of “collective action and solidarity”.

The statement read: “We welcome … with immense relief and joy the safe release of Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi after 38 days of enforced disappearance. We extend our deepest appreciation to the Governments of Kenya and Uganda, whose intervention at the highest levels contributed to this outcome.”

Principal Secretary at Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Dr Korir Sing’oei, confirmed the handover of the duo.

“Mr Bob Njagi and Mr Nicholas Oyoo are now free and back on Kenyan soil,” he said. “Their release came following extended negotiations and cooperation between the two governments.”

According to Dr Sing’oei, they were transferred to the Busia border where they were received by Busia County Commissioner Mr Chaunga Mwachaunga, with arrangements underway for their subsequent travel to Nairobi.

The activists reportedly went missing on October 1, 2025, after attending a rally in Kampala.

Eyewitnesses say they were intercepted at a petrol station near Kampala by unidentified men in a grey van.

Their disappearance triggered widespread concern across East Africa, with activists raising alarm over what they called a pattern of trans‑border repression.

On their return, the Free Kenya Movement emphasized the importance of accountability: “Enforced disappearances have no place in a democratic society, and the safe return of Nicholas and Bob strengthens our resolve to continue advocating for justice, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights,” the organisation declared.

Its National Coordinator, Mr Felix Wambua, added: “We remain committed to ensuring that such violations are never repeated and that all Kenyans can live free from fear.”

While the activists are now safe, key questions remain about the circumstances of their detention and release.

Civil‑society groups are calling for independent investigations into their disappearance, and have urged both Kenya and Uganda to bolster safeguards for human‑rights defenders operating across borders.

For now, the release provides a sigh of relief for families, activists and the broader rights community.

But for many, it also serves as a stark reminder of the risks faced by those working in politically sensitive spaces — and the delicate diplomacy required when activism collides with national and regional politics.