NANDI, Kenya — Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei has criticized Kenyan human rights activists whom he accuses of meddling in the political affairs of neighboring countries, warning that such conduct risks undermining the sovereignty of those nations.
Speaking during a Sunday service at the PAG Church in Kapsabet town, Cherargei said some activists were hiding under the guise of promoting human rights to engage in activities that destabilize other countries.
“I want to warn our activists who are busybodies. Stop exporting your bad manners to other countries. Stop it. Uganda and Tanzania are sovereign countries,” said Cherargei.
The senator urged foreign governments not to tolerate individuals who exploit human rights work as a cover for political interference. He also called for stern action against those found guilty of such actions, including deportation.
“Those who go to other countries to cause trouble should be punished and repatriated. I thank President Museveni for releasing Njagi and Oyoo. You can’t go to someone’s house to cause chaos,” he added.
Cherargei’s remarks came a day after Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo returned home following 38 days of detention in Uganda.
The two had been arrested on October 1 in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, after reportedly traveling to Kampala to support opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni later confirmed that the two were in the custody of Ugandan security forces, accusing them of collaborating with Kyagulanyi’s group to organize riots.
“Here we have very good intelligence… we know them. We have got two Kenyans whom we arrested. They came and were working with Kyagulanyi’s group. They are experts in riots,” Museveni said during a radio talk show on Saturday evening.
Their release, according to Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, followed “sustained diplomatic engagement” between Nairobi and Kampala.
“Both governments maintained open and constructive communication that has culminated in the safe release of our nationals,” Mudavadi said in a statement.
The activists’ detention had sparked concern among regional human rights organizations, who warned that crackdowns on activists in East Africa were becoming increasingly common.
Njagi and Oyoo’s case came months after Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan advocate Agatha Atuhairwe were briefly detained in Tanzania while attending a court session for opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges.
Cherargei’s comments now add a political dimension to the debate over the role of activists in regional democracy movements, highlighting tensions between sovereignty and cross-border solidarity in East Africa.
