Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has officially acknowledged that Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who went missing over a month ago, were indeed detained by Ugandan security forces.
The pair had been missing for more than five weeks, prompting widespread concern from human rights organisations and political observers throughout East Africa.
According to reports from the BBC, the two activists were last seen in October when they were allegedly forced into a vehicle by masked men after attending a rally in support of opposition leader Bobi Wine.
Museveni Confirms Detention
During a televised interview on Saturday, President Museveni confirmed the arrests, labelling the men as “experts in riots” who were “put in the fridge for some days.”
He accused them of meddling in Uganda’s internal politics and cautioned outsiders against interfering in the country’s affairs. “The ones who are doing that game here in Uganda will end up badly,” he said.
The Ugandan leader, who has been in power for nearly four decades and intends to run again in next year’s election, revealed that the activists were freed following appeals from unnamed Kenyan officials.
Activists Reunited with Supporters
Upon their return, Njagi and Oyoo were greeted by jubilant supporters at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
Njagi recounted their ordeal, saying, “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn’t think that we were going to come out alive because we were being abducted by the military.”
Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, confirmed that their release was secured through “sustained diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda.”
Human Rights Groups React
Following their release, human rights organisation Vocal Africa hailed the development as a win for civic freedom and cross-border cooperation.
“Let this moment signal an important shift towards upholding the human rights of East Africans anywhere in the East African Community,” the group stated.