Two Kenyan activists have reportedly been abducted by Ugandan security forces after attending a rally for opposition leader Bobi Wine, according to rights group VOCAL Africa.
The case has reignited concerns about cross-border crackdowns on government critics in East Africa, where activists say abductions and intimidation have become routine.
The victims, identified as Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were allegedly seized at a petrol station on Wednesday, October 1, shortly after participating in Wine’s political gathering. Hussein Khalid, head of VOCAL Africa, told AFP that the group had been unable to reach the men and feared they were in the custody of security agents. “Their phones are off… I think they knew they were Kenyans,” Khalid said. He warned that abductions carried out across borders in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania were “getting out of hand,” suggesting the three states may be working together to silence dissent.
Njagi, one of those abducted, had previously claimed he was detained by Kenyan security forces last year over his role in anti-government protests. His case, along with Oyoo’s disappearance, has drawn sharp criticism from Uganda’s opposition. Bobi Wine accused President Yoweri Museveni’s government of targeting the activists simply for associating with him. “The criminal regime apparently abducted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause,” Wine said in a post on X, describing the act as evidence of “continuing lawlessness by the rogue regime.”
The incident mirrors other cross-border crackdowns in the region. In May, Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan activist Agather Atuhaire said they were abducted and tortured for days by Tanzanian security forces. Their ordeal prompted little condemnation from Nairobi or Kampala, with Kenya merely stating it had “engaged diplomatically” without openly criticising Tanzania.
Uganda has a history of such actions. Last year, opposition leader Kizza Besigye was kidnapped in Kenya and smuggled back to Uganda, where he faced treason charges. Critics say such operations demonstrate a growing willingness by regional governments to collaborate in suppressing opposition movements.
Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly 40 years, is seeking to extend his tenure in elections scheduled for January. Opposition groups argue that incidents like these highlight the regime’s authoritarian tactics.
AFP reported that it contacted Ugandan police as well as Kenya’s interior and foreign ministries for comment, but no immediate response was provided. Meanwhile, human rights groups are calling for urgent action to protect activists and end what they describe as a coordinated assault on freedoms across East Africa.