By Anderson Ojwang
President Yoweri Museveni may have inadvertently delivered a weaponized campaign tool to Mt. Kenya ahead of the 2027 presidential election with the detention and subsequent release of two Kenyan activists who were arrested in Uganda.
For 38 days, Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were held in a Ugandan military facility over their alleged association with Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine.
Museveni said, “Here in Uganda we have very good intelligence. For instance, we arrested two Kenyans — I have their names but I do not remember their names — they were working with Kyagalanyi’s group. They are experts in riots; we picked them up and they have been in the fridge for some days. Some Kenyan leaders rang me and said that I should either put them in jail here or hand them back. We pick them and then after some time we release them.”
In Mt. Kenya, the release of their son Njagi is currently being attributed to former President Uhuru Kenyatta, and that narrative is gaining traction in the region — a historical stronghold of President William Ruto.
The release of the two by the Museveni administration opens a new political narrative in the country, mainly in Mt. Kenya, previously President Ruto’s stronghold. Currently, Mt. Kenya and President Ruto are reading from different scripts, with top leaders from the region associating with the United Opposition Alliance.
The attribution of the duo’s release to former President Uhuru comes hot on the heels of the recent installation of Dr. Fred Matiang’i as deputy party leader and presidential candidate; Matiang’i is a member of the United Opposition Alliance.
Uhuru’s ally Pauline Njoroge wrote on a Facebook page, “Just as in several recent instances where the Kenyan government has faced difficulties in securing the release of citizens detained abroad, the situation was no different for Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi, who had been held incommunicado in Uganda. While our government made some efforts to intervene, including writing a protest letter, they failed to get a breakthrough until former President Uhuru Kenyatta personally placed a call to General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. It was this intervention that finally broke the deadlock, leading to the duo’s release and subsequent handover to Kenyan authorities.”
General Muhoozi allegedly said, “If not for the respect I have for Uhuru, those Kenyan boys could have remained in my fridge until the next elections period. Next time I won’t be as lenient as this time.”
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi described efforts by the Kenyan government to secure the duo’s release. He wrote, “The Government of Kenya welcomes the safe release of our two citizens, Mr. Bob Njagi and Mr. Nicholas Oyoo, who had been abducted by armed men around the Kireka area in Kampala, Uganda, on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. Following sustained diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda, including a formal letter I personally addressed to Hon. Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, both governments maintained open and constructive communication that has culminated in the safe release of our nationals. The Government of Kenya expresses its deep appreciation to the Government of Uganda for the cooperation extended throughout this process, and to our diplomatic team in Kampala for their vigilance, commitment, and professionalism. Arrangements have been finalized to ensure the two Kenyans reunite safely with their families. The safety and well-being of Kenyan citizens abroad remain a non-negotiable priority for the Government of Kenya. We continue to urge all Kenyans living, working, or travelling abroad to remain vigilant and to maintain regular contact with our embassies and consulates for timely assistance and updates.”
This was the second time Njagi has been arrested and detained. In August 2024, Njagi and others were held for 32 days for engaging in anti-Finance Bill demonstrations.
Njagi and Oyoo were arrested at a function with Ugandan opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine, and early efforts to secure their release hit a stumbling block after Ugandan authorities denied abducting or detaining the two Kenyans.
Uganda police, in a press conference on October 6, denied holding the duo, saying, “I do not have any information to the effect that they are in police custody, nor do I have any information that they are accused by the police. If I had it, I would volunteer it here without any reservation.”
The military also denied holding the two. In a case filed in the Uganda High Court, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces said they had carried out investigations, searched all relevant detention facilities and records, and found no entry relating to the two missing activists.
On October 23, the Uganda High Court dismissed the case and asked the lawyers to make a formal report of missing persons.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei added fuel to the narrative in Mt. Kenya when he commended the Uganda president for the arrests, saying, “I want to ask President Museveni and President Suluhu that if you get any busy-body activists who want to destabilize the overmighty peace and tranquility of your country, finya hawa, warudishe nyumbani na tumalizie” (torture them and return them home to finish the job), he said.
Njagi previously served as ODM secretary for Humanitarian and Disaster Management Affairs.
The emerging narrative that Uhuru intervened in Njagi’s release is likely to become one of the campaign tools Mt. Kenya will use to de-campaign President Ruto and try to lock him out of the region.
