Supporters of Bobi Wine’s campaign in Uganda are raising concerns after two Kenyan activists went missing in Kamuli District. Bob Njagi, the chairman of the Free Kenya Movement, and Nicholas Oyoo, who serves as the secretary general, were reportedly taken away on Wednesday afternoon by men suspected to be security officials.
The pair had been in Uganda since Monday, having traveled from Kenya with two Ugandan companions before linking up with the National Unity Platform team on Tuesday.
During Bobi Wine’s rallies, Njagi was seen on stage with the opposition leader, listening and at times joining his entourage as they moved through Buyende and Kamuli in preparation for the 2026 presidential elections.
Videos captured during the events show him actively participating, which friends now believe may have drawn unwanted attention.
The ordeal began when the group stopped at a petrol station to fix their vehicle. A van described as grey pulled up, and four armed men, along with a woman seated in the front, confronted them.
According to a friend who was present, the gunmen forced Njagi and Oyoo into the van. He too was initially taken but managed to secure his release after insisting he could not abandon his car unlocked.
Shortly after the men drove off, the activists’ phones were switched off, leaving their colleague stranded and unsure where to turn for help. He admitted he has not gone to the police for fear of endangering himself.
The incident mirrors past cases of cross-border targeting of activists. Only a few months ago, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire were arrested in Tanzania before being abandoned near their countries’ borders.
Both later alleged mistreatment and abuse during detention.
For Njagi, this disappearance is not unfamiliar. Last year, he and the Longton brothers vanished for more than a month after being linked to anti-government protests. His repeated targeting raises questions about the risks faced by outspoken activists who challenge those in power, especially when they cross borders into politically charged environments.
As of now, there has been no word on where Njagi and Oyoo are being held or whether they are safe. Their colleague, who witnessed the abduction, says he feels helpless and abandoned in a foreign country, unsure how to secure their release.
The silence surrounding their whereabouts has fueled fears that the two may be in the custody of state agents, indicating the dangerous environment faced by those supporting opposition movements in the region.
This latest abduction adds to growing concerns about the shrinking space for activism in East Africa, where political dissent often attracts harsh responses from security agencies.
For Njagi and Oyoo, their decision to stand in solidarity with Bobi Wine’s movement may have placed them directly in harm’s way, leaving their families and colleagues anxiously waiting for answers that remain out of reach.
