Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s JKLive show on Wednesday night, the two Free Kenya Movement (FKM) leaders narrated how they were abducted and held at Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe shortly after crossing into Uganda.
According to the duo, their visit had nothing to do with politics, contrary to speculation linking them to Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
“We went to Uganda legally, our passports were stamped, and we had valid six-month visas,” said Nicholas Oyoo, the movement’s Secretary General.
“Our mission was purely business and social. But things changed fast after we attended Bobi Wine’s manifesto launch just to show solidarity as activists.”
Oyoo explained that their appearance at the event was meant to demonstrate unity and support for a fellow activist, not to engage in Ugandan politics.
“We were there to say, ‘We see you, we stand with you,’ because that’s what we do as human rights defenders. We didn’t expect to be treated as criminals,” he added.
For Bob Njagi, the Free Kenya Movement Chairman, the trip had multiple objectives — including scouting tourism sites and meeting business associates.
“I had plans to meet my Canadian friends who are visiting East Africa early next year. They wanted to see gorillas in Uganda, so I decided to go ahead and identify good spots for them,” Njagi said.
Oyoo explained that their appearance at the event was meant to demonstrate unity and support for a fellow activist, not to engage in Ugandan politics.
“We were there to say, ‘We see you, we stand with you,’ because that’s what we do as human rights defenders. We didn’t expect to be treated as criminals,” he added.
For Bob Njagi, the Free Kenya Movement Chairman, the trip had multiple objectives — including scouting tourism sites and meeting business associates.
“I had plans to meet my Canadian friends who are visiting East Africa early next year. They wanted to see gorillas in Uganda, so I decided to go ahead and identify good spots for them,” Njagi said.
“I also wanted to meet a former Ugandan minister I once supplied masks to during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Njagi revealed that he had previously done business with former Ugandan Health Minister Michael Mukula, supplying him with face masks worth over Ksh 1 million.
“It was a simple follow-up visit to explore new opportunities,” he said, adding that he never imagined the trip would land them in military detention.
The two activists said they had only spent two days in Uganda when unidentified armed men intercepted them.
Njagi revealed that he had previously done business with former Ugandan Health Minister Michael Mukula, supplying him with face masks worth over Ksh 1 million.
“It was a simple follow-up visit to explore new opportunities,” he said, adding that he never imagined the trip would land them in military detention.
The two activists said they had only spent two days in Uganda when unidentified armed men intercepted them.
They were whisked away to an unknown location before being transferred to the heavily guarded Kasenyi Military Barracks, where they were held incommunicado.
The activists described their detention as “a living nightmare,” saying they were interrogated daily and denied access to legal counsel or Kenyan officials for several weeks.
“We were treated like prisoners of war. We didn’t know if we would make it out alive,” Oyoo recalled.
The activists described their detention as “a living nightmare,” saying they were interrogated daily and denied access to legal counsel or Kenyan officials for several weeks.
“We were treated like prisoners of war. We didn’t know if we would make it out alive,” Oyoo recalled.
“Our families were desperate, and the uncertainty was the worst part.”
According to them, their release came after relentless diplomatic pressure from the Kenyan government, Amnesty International, and regional human rights groups.
According to them, their release came after relentless diplomatic pressure from the Kenyan government, Amnesty International, and regional human rights groups.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta was also said to have quietly intervened behind the scenes to facilitate negotiations.
Blame on Uganda’s First Son
Bobi Wine, who has had a long history of clashes with the Ugandan government, later claimed that the two Kenyans were detained under direct orders from General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Museveni and commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The activists have since demanded that the East African Community (EAC) create stronger frameworks to protect citizens from cross-border human rights violations.
“This was not just an attack on us as individuals — it was an attack on regional freedom,” Njagi said.
Blame on Uganda’s First Son
Bobi Wine, who has had a long history of clashes with the Ugandan government, later claimed that the two Kenyans were detained under direct orders from General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Museveni and commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
The activists have since demanded that the East African Community (EAC) create stronger frameworks to protect citizens from cross-border human rights violations.
“This was not just an attack on us as individuals — it was an attack on regional freedom,” Njagi said.
“We must have laws that prevent security forces from abusing power across borders.”
The duo vowed to pursue justice through international human rights channels and to continue advocating fo the protection of activists across East Africa.
“We were abducted for standing for what is right. But our spirit is not broken,” Oyoo said.
The duo vowed to pursue justice through international human rights channels and to continue advocating fo the protection of activists across East Africa.
“We were abducted for standing for what is right. But our spirit is not broken,” Oyoo said.
“We want our story to serve as a reminder that human rights have no borders.”
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