Museveni confirms abducting 2 Kenyan activists & "putting them in the fridge"

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has praised his security agencies, boldly confirming that his government abducted two Kenyan activists and “put them in the fridge”.

In a media interview granted to UBC TV barely hours after Kenyans activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were released by Ugandan authorities after more than five weeks in captivity, Museveni praised his extra-judicial tactics of handling critics and activists.

According to Museveni, the two activists are 'experts in chaos' and had crossed over to Uganda to team up with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine and this necessitated their abduction.

He heaped praises on the country’s intelligence for a ‘job well done’ despite the worrying violation of human rights and brutality in his quest for another term in office.

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 confirmed that the activists were released after Kenyan leaders reached out demanding their release or prosecution after being held incommunicado for 38 days.

READ: 38-day ordeal of Kenyan activists abducted in Uganda: Uhuru’s role in their release

Of course, with our very good intelligence, we picked them up and they have been in the fridge for some days. Now, some Kenyan leaders rang me and said I should either put them in jail here or hand them back.

Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo were abducted by armed men after attending an event graced by Bobi Wine on October 1, 2025.

The two activists were released late on Friday night after concerted efforts by the diplomatic community, Kenyan government and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta bore fruits.

Torture, starvation & inhumane treatment at the hands of Museveni's men

Speaking shortly after their release, Njagi and Oyoo recounted how they were held in a military facility in dehumanising conditions.

They recounted being tortured and starved at the hands of Ugandan authorities while being held at Kasenyi Military Barracks in Entebbe.

“We were in military detention by the special forces. I didn’t eat for 14 days. We were tortured,” Njagi recounted.

Despite holding them for more than five weeks, the Ugandan government consistently denied any involvement.

Museveni's tainted record

Museveni has been fingered by the international community and rights groups for violently cracking down on the opposition as he eyes another term in office with state agencies efforts to extend his 39-year rule.

According to reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, security forces and the judiciary have been used to suppress opposition voices with arbitrary arrests and detentions of opposition figures common.

Under his watch, civilians have been tried in military courts despite constitutional rulings that such practice is unlawful with the legal and regulatory framework being used to restrict the freedoms of expression, association and assembly.