KAMPALA, Uganda – Ugandan activist, politician, singer, lawyer, and actor Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known by his stage name Bobi Wine, has condemned the ongoing abductions in Kenya.
In a lengthy statement posted on his official X account, Bobi Wine observed that it was sad to see how quickly Kenya is descending from being regarded as a beacon of hope for the troubled East African region.
“To now being known for abductions of young citizens critical to the government of the day, as well as being a playground for dictators to abduct those opposed to their repressive regimes!” Bobi Wine posted.
Why Bobi Wine sympathises with Kenyan people
The former Kyadondo East Member of Parliament said he sympathises with Kenyans following many cases of abductions.
“The great people of Kenya. As I warned you, you must resist Musevenism, which is slowly but firmly taking a grip on your country,” he said.
According to Bobi Wine, in Uganda, abductions have been so normalised that they no longer make news.
“We are still looking for 18 citizens, supporters of our party, who were abducted by Museveni’s operatives in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and are still missing. This, in addition to those who were dumped dead in forests and swamps and the thousands who ended up before military courts!” the post further reads.
But how did it all start? According to Bobi Wine, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) operatives took away their supporters in a similar manner to what is happening in Kenya.
“Later, it became a full-scale operation targeting thousands. Numberless vehicles, commonly known as drones, started picking citizens off the streets or from their homes with reckless abandon, and this has not stopped,” lamented Bobi Wine.
Why there was outrage in the neighbouring Uganda
At the height of these abductions, Bobi Wine stated that there was outrage, but the response of the regime was to deploy spin masters to deny or whitewash what was happening.
“Therefore, to you Kenyan friends, you must defend your Constitution before it is too weak to defend you. If you do not uproot repression when it is a seedling, it becomes much harder when it takes root, grows into a tree, and spreads its branches everywhere,” Bobi Wine explained.
There have been significant concerns regarding abductions in Kenya, particularly involving government critics and other individuals, since the anti-government protests began in June 2024.
According to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR), at least 82 people have been abducted by unidentified armed individuals, with 29 still unaccounted for.
This trend highlights a troubling escalation in clandestine operations aimed at silencing dissent.
