Little-Known Tough Conditions By Uganda In Exchange For Bob Njagi's Release
Njagi and Oyoo were allegedly detained by Ugandan security officers for more than a month under unclear circumstances.
Marvin Chege 
The family of Kenyan activist Bob Njagi, who was abducted in Uganda alongside Nicholas Oyoo, has opened up about the harsh terms they had to accept to secure his release.
Njagi and Oyoo were allegedly detained by Ugandan security officers for more than a month under unclear circumstances.
Speaking on Saturday after his son’s return, Frank Njagi, the activist’s father, said Ugandan authorities had initially intended to hold the pair until after the country’s January elections — a move he claimed was meant to keep them from engaging in any activities seen as opposing President Yoweri Museveni’s administration.
Uganda’s Demands
According to the family, Ugandan officials made it clear that Njagi and Oyoo were being held to discourage any future involvement in campaigns against Museveni or his allies. Negotiations for their release reportedly involved both diplomatic and personal efforts.
President William Ruto and his Ugandan counterpart, Yoweri Museveni. /STANDARD DIGITAL
“We were told that the intention was to keep them in custody until after the elections. We had to promise that once released, he would never go back to Uganda to campaign for President Museveni’s opponents,” said Frank Njagi.
The family said the talks were tense, with Ugandan officials demanding written guarantees from intermediaries that Njagi would steer clear of any political activities in Uganda.
Uhuru Kenyatta’s Intervention
Frank Njagi revealed that they sought help from the Kenyan government and prominent figures, including former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was among those who reached out to President Museveni and his son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to intervene.
The negotiations are also said to have involved First Lady Janet Museveni before progress was made.
Nairobi’s Position
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that Kenya had formally written to Uganda seeking information on the activists’ whereabouts and had engaged directly with Ugandan Foreign Affairs Minister Odongo Abubakar to facilitate their release.
Meanwhile, Njagi recounted the ordeal, saying they were held by a military unit that operated under special orders.
“We had been abducted by the military, who kept us under a special unit. We never knew we would make it back home,” he said.
Njagi and Oyoo were abducted in Kira, Kampala, on October 1, and held in undisclosed locations for 38 days before being handed over to Kenyan authorities at the Busia border on November 7.
