President Museveni Admits Kenyan Activists Were Detained Kept in A Fridge in Uganda

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has, for the first time, acknowledged that two Kenyan activists who disappeared in Uganda for five weeks were indeed detained by security forces.

Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo went missing last month after attending a political event where they expressed support for opposition leader Bobi Wine. Eyewitnesses said masked men in uniform forcibly put the activists into a vehicle, sparking regional outrage.

Speaking in a live interview on Saturday, Museveni referred to the activists as “experts in riots” and said they were “in the fridge for some days” before being released. He also accused foreign actors of attempting to incite unrest in Uganda, warning that such actions would have consequences.

Without naming them, Museveni said the activists were freed after receiving calls from “some Kenyan leaders” requesting their release. Upon arrival at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Njagi said, “Thirty-eight days of abduction was not easy. We didn’t think we were going to come out alive because we were being abducted by the military.”

Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, confirmed the release came after “sustained diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Uganda.”

Human rights groups, including Vocal Africa, the Law Society of Kenya, and Amnesty International, welcomed the activists’ release and urged both governments to continue protecting human rights in the region.

Bobi Wine criticized the Ugandan authorities, questioning why the men were not formally charged if they had committed any offense. The incident has heightened concerns about the cross-border detention of activists and opposition supporters in East Africa.