Bobi Wine condemns abduction of Kenyan activists in Uganda

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has condemned the alleged abduction of two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo. 

The two members of the Free Kenya Movement were reportedly seized on Wednesday afternoon at a petrol station, where they had stopped to repair their car, and driven to an unknown location. 

Their phones have since been switched off.

“We condemn the continuing lawlessness by the rogue regime and demand that these brothers be released unconditionally! The criminal regime apparently abducted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause,” Wine said in a statement. 

Njagi and Oyoo had arrived in Uganda on Monday this week and joined Bobi Wine, the National Unity Platform presidential candidate, on the campaign trail. 

On Tuesday, they travelled with NUP leaders across Buyende and Kamuli districts.

Vocal Africa, a regional rights group, also denounced the incident. “We strongly condemn the abduction and demand their immediate and unconditional release,” the organisation said.

For Njagi, this is the second such ordeal. In 2024, he was abducted alongside the Longton brothers over alleged links to anti-government protests and went missing for more than a month before resurfacing.

Yesterday’s incident adds to a series of cross-border crackdowns on activists. 

Just four months ago, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire were arrested in Tanzania and later abandoned near their respective borders. 

Last year, Ugandan opposition figure Kizza Besigye and activist Hajji Lutale were arrested in Nairobi and deported to Uganda in what rights groups described as extrajudicial renditions.