Bobi Wine Accuses Museveni’s Son of Ordering Detention of Kenyan Activists
Bobi Wine condemned what he termed “militarized dictatorship,” accusing Museveni’s administration of exporting repression to neighbouring countries.
Their disappearance caused an uproar in Kenya and Uganda, forcing human rights organizations to demand answers from Ugandan authorities. Photo/courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has accused the State of secretly detaining Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo at Kasenyi Military Barracks for 39 days on orders linked to General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Yoweri Museveni‘s son and the Chief of Defence Forces.
The NUP leader has said in a post shared on his X that the two Kenyans were tortured and subjected to intensive interrogation during captivity. According to Wine, the activists were repeatedly questioned about their purpose in Uganda and their attendance at his manifesto launch event held in Jinja.
“I just spoke to them, and they revealed they were detained at Kasenyi Military Barracks on orders from Museveni’s son,” Wine said. “They were tortured and interrogated over their participation in our campaign events. Imagine after 39 days the judiciary chose to justify this criminality instead of demanding accountability from the regime.”
Njagi and Oyoo went missing on October 1, 2025, during Bobi Wine’s campaign trail in Buyende and Kamuli districts. The two were reportedly forced into a car by four unidentified men before their phones went dead. Their disappearance caused an uproar in Kenya and Uganda, forcing human rights organizations to demand answers from Ugandan authorities.
Bobi Wine condemned what he termed “militarized dictatorship,” accusing Museveni’s administration of exporting repression to neighbouring countries.
“Uganda is under a full military dictatorship,” he maintained. “This tyranny is now creeping into other states in the region. We must unite to liberate Uganda, and only then can East Africa be said to be free.”
For over a month, the activists’ whereabouts remained unknown, despite repeated diplomatic efforts by Kenya to trace them. Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi formally reached out to Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, General Odongo Abubakhar, and expressed deep frustration owing to a lack of cooperation from Kampala.
“It is distressing to note that close to a month has elapsed since our first letter, yet Uganda has not made any formal pronouncement on the status of our citizens,” Mudavadi said in a formal letter.
Their release was finally secured following sustained pressure from human rights groups and the Kenyan government. On the night of November 7, Ugandan officials handed over Njagi and Oyoo to Kenyan authorities at the Busia border, where they were received by Busia County Commissioner Chaunga Mwachaunga.
The two were later escorted to Kisumu, where they recorded statements with security officials before arrangements were made for them to fly to Nairobi to reunite with their families. Both activists were reported as being in stable conditions, but sources described them as looking frail following over a month of harsh detention. The release brought relief to their loved ones and marked the renewal of calls for greater accountability over human rights violations in the region.
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