NAIROBI, Kenya — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is facing mounting criticism over its silence following the mysterious disappearance of two Kenyan activists — Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo — in Uganda, now missing for more than three weeks.
The two went missing on October 1, and both the Ugandan police and military have denied any involvement or knowledge of their whereabouts, sparking fears of cross-border abductions and state-sanctioned disappearances in the region.
Efforts to compel Ugandan authorities to account for the pair hit a dead end on Wednesday, after High Court Judge Simon Peter Kinobe dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by lawyers representing the activists.
“The state can only produce what it has, and it would therefore be unrealistic to expect the desired outcome from circumstances that could not yield it,” Justice Kinobe ruled.
The judge officially categorised Njagi and Oyoo as “missing persons”, directing petitioners to file a formal report with the Uganda Police Force.
“A missing person is one whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are unknown,” Justice Kinobe stated.
The ruling has drawn sharp reactions from civil society, legal groups, and human rights defenders in Kenya, who accuse both governments of inaction and “dangerous silence.”
On Thursday, activists from Vocal Africa, led by Odhiambo Ojiro, staged a protest outside Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, demanding the immediate intervention of the Kenyan government.
In a letter to Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei, Vocal Africa urged Nairobi to take “stern and decisive diplomatic action” against Kampala.
“This prolonged silence and inaction have compounded the anguish of their families and heightened fears of cross-border repression in East Africa,” said Hussein Khalid, CEO of Vocal Africa.
The organisation called for Kenya to issue a formal diplomatic protest to Uganda, activate regional and international human rights mechanisms, and review bilateral relations until the two Kenyans are found.
Former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) presidents Nelson Havi and Eric Theuri also weighed in, urging the government to act decisively.
“Being a citizen of Kenya must surely mean something. It shouldn’t matter your views or whether the establishment likes you or not,” Theuri said, adding that the state must ensure every Kenyan’s safety abroad.
Havi called for public protests at the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Ugandan High Commission in Nairobi, accusing both governments of indifference.
“Let the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Foreign Affairs tell us what steps have been taken to secure the release of the two Kenyans. Let the Ugandan High Commissioner tell us what they have done,” Havi demanded.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has also linked the disappearance to Uganda’s internal repression of dissent, alleging that the activists are being secretly held by Ugandan security agencies.
“We demand their immediate release. The silence of global partners, especially those funding regional security cooperation, makes them complicit in the erosion of rights they claim to protect,” KHRC said in a statement.
As families continue to plead for answers, pressure is mounting on the Kenyan Foreign Affairs Ministry to demonstrate diplomatic resolve.
With Uganda’s courts now declaring Njagi and Oyoo as missing and no official word from Nairobi, rights groups warn that the case could set a troubling precedent for the protection of Kenyan citizens abroad — and for civic freedoms across East Africa.
