Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has been credited with helping secure the freedom of Kenyan activists Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi after weeks of uncertainty, frustration, and rising public pressure.
Their release has drawn relief across Kenya and renewed calls for stronger regional cooperation on human rights protection.
According to multiple sources, the two activists had been missing for 38 days after being taken by armed men in Kireka, Kampala, on October 1, 2025. For more than a month, their families, colleagues, and human rights groups raised alarm as attempts by Kenyan authorities to trace them or secure their release appeared to stall.
Public campaigns intensified, with civil society organisations, journalists, and citizens demanding greater accountability and action from both governments.
Digital strategist and political commentator Pauline Njoroge stated that early diplomatic efforts, including a formal protest letter from Kenya, did not result in progress. She said the situation shifted only after former President Uhuru Kenyatta personally contacted General Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Uganda, a move she described as the key that unlocked the stalemate.
Her remarks suggested that traditional channels had reached a dead end, and it was direct personal intervention that finally broke through.
Human rights advocates have echoed similar sentiments. Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Houghton Irungu praised Kenyatta’s involvement but emphasised that the outcome was also shaped by consistent public pressure. He noted that the determination shown by families, activists, and the wider civil society space played an essential role in keeping the case alive and forcing decision makers to act.
The activists were eventually released on the night of November 6 in Busia and handed over to Kenyan authorities. Their return brought immediate relief to their families and supporters, who had endured weeks of silence with no official information on their whereabouts or wellbeing.
The Law Society of Kenya President, Faith Odhiambo, confirmed that Oyoo and Njagi had been missing for over a month, classifying the incident as an enforced disappearance. She described their release as a significant moment for human rights defenders across the region and thanked all who contributed to maintaining pressure throughout the ordeal.
Odhiambo expressed hope that the case would prompt East African governments to strengthen protection mechanisms and ensure that rights violations do not go unanswered.
Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi also issued a statement welcoming the safe return of the two Kenyans. He commended the diplomatic cooperation involved and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens wherever they may be.
The release of Oyoo and Njagi has now reopened discussions about citizens’ safety, accountability of security agencies, and the broader treatment of activists in the region.
