Two Kenyan human rights activists have disappeared in Uganda after reportedly being abducted by armed men while attending a campaign event for opposition leader Bobi Wine. The missing activists, identified as Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were allegedly forced into a vehicle “mafia-style” at a petrol station near Kampala and taken to an unknown location, according to Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi.
Ugandan police spokesman Kituma Rusoke denied that the pair were in police custody, while a Kenyan government representative, Michael Muchiri, said Nairobi had not yet received official communication on the case. Human rights groups in both Uganda and Kenya have raised alarm, warning that the disappearance of foreign activists signals an escalation in political repression ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general election.
Bobi Wine, a pop star-turned-politician, is considered the strongest challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, 80, who has ruled Uganda since 1986. His rallies have frequently been marred by arrests, violence, and accusations of state-sponsored intimidation. In a statement, Bobi Wine accused Ugandan security forces of orchestrating the abduction, saying: “This is part of a broader campaign to silence dissent and intimidate those who stand for human rights.” As of Thursday, the whereabouts of Njagi and Oyoo remain unknown.
