Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has publicly confirmed the detention of two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, for 38 days, despite initial denials by his government. Speaking during an interview with UBC TV and later on a radio talk show, President Museveni praised his country's intelligence, claiming that Njagi and Oyoo had positioned themselves as "experts in riots" and were working with Uganda’s opposition leader, Robert Kyagulani, alias Bobi Wine. He stated, "Here in Uganda, we have our own groups, which we monitor; we have very good intelligence... For instance, we arrested two Kenyans; I do not remember their names. They were working with Kyagulanyi’s group; they are experts in riots." Museveni controversially added that they had been "in the fridge for some days," an admission that came just hours after their release following public uproar.

Njagi and Oyoo were abducted by armed men after attending an event graced by Bobi Wine on October 1, 2025. Witnesses reported they were taken in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District. For more than five weeks, the Ugandan government had consistently denied any involvement, maintaining that the activists were not in their custody even as they were held incommunicado for 38 days.

Following their release late on Friday night and their return to Kenya on Saturday, November 8, Njagi and Oyoo recounted a harrowing ordeal. They alleged that they were held in a military facility, specifically the Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe, where they endured torture, starvation, and inhumane treatment at the hands of Ugandan authorities. Njagi explicitly stated, "We were in military detention by the special forces. I didn’t eat for 14 days. We were tortured."

Their release was the result of concerted efforts by the diplomatic community, the Kenyan government, and high-level negotiations. President Museveni confirmed that Kenyan leaders had contacted him, requesting either their imprisonment in Uganda or their handover. Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, attributed their release to sustained diplomatic engagement between Nairobi and Kampala. Furthermore, complex negotiations at high levels, involving President Museveni and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, played a crucial role. Amnesty International Kenya Executive Director Irungu Houghton confirmed that the two returned to Kenya following these discussions. Njagi and Oyoo were handed over to officials at the Kenyan High Commission in Kampala and subsequently escorted back to Kenya by the Kenyan ambassador to Uganda and the security team.

This incident highlights President Museveni's ongoing record of violently cracking down on the opposition and critics as he seeks another term in office. International bodies like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have frequently criticized his government for using security forces and the judiciary to suppress dissenting voices. Arbitrary arrests and detentions of opposition figures are common, and civilians are often tried in military courts despite constitutional rulings that such practices are unlawful, with legal and regulatory frameworks frequently used to restrict freedoms of expression, association, and assembly under his 39-year rule.