Nairobi, Kenya, October 21, 2025: Today, Amnesty International Kenya, the Law Society of Kenya, and Vocal Africa are calling on all concerned people across the world to sign on to this virtual letter to Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Kenyan human rights defenders Bob Njagi and Nick Oyoo: https://www.amnestykenya.org/petition-free-bob-njagi-and-nicholas-oyoo/
The two Kenyans were abducted in Kampala, Uganda, on October 1, 2025. Today marks the 20th day since their abduction. Despite public condemnation and calls for their release in Uganda, Kenya, and elsewhere in the world, the two Kenyans remain missing. Though their whereabouts and well-being remain unknown, credible reports suggest they are being held incommunicado at the Mbuya Military Facility in Kampala. This campaign calls on human rights defenders and people across the world to write to the Ugandan President to take immediate steps to:
- Immediately disclose the whereabouts of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo and ensure their safety, well-being, release, and return to Kenya
- Guarantee their right to legal representation and communication with their families.
- Investigate the circumstances of their abduction and hold those responsible accountable.
- Uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, which are protected under Ugandan, East African, and international human rights law.
The campaign also urges the Kenyan government to intensify diplomatic efforts and protect its citizens from transnational repression. Amnesty International Kenya, LSK, and Vocal Africa reaffirm their commitment to defending civic space and protecting activists across East Africa.
Signed:
Irungu Houghton – Executive Director, Amnesty International Kenya Email: [email protected]
Faith Odhiambo – President, Law Society of Kenya
Hussein Khalid – Executive Director, Vocal Africa
NOTES:
Now 50 years old, Amnesty International Urgent Action, the mobilization of millions of people to write letters to protect individuals at risk, is one of its most effective strategies. In 1973, Amnesty mobilized thousands of people globally to write letters and successfully release Professor Luiz Basilio Rossi, an economist and trade unionist detained by the Brazilian military dictatorship in 1973. Rossi credited Amnesty’s actions with saving his life. The Urgent Action for Nick Oyoo and Bob Njagi will be managed by over 500,000 volunteers within the Urgent Action Network across the world. Letter writing to authorities calling for the release and safety demonstrates the power of collective action. A single letter may seem small, but when multiplied by thousands, it becomes a force for justice. The campaign is a lifeline for those unjustly imprisoned, tortured, or silenced.
Recent Urgent Actions for Uganda include
- Enforced Disappearance of Robert Lugya Kayingo (2025): The Ugandan-South African lawyer and opposition party leader was arrested at Entebbe Airport and has not been seen since. Amnesty demanded disclosure of his whereabouts and access to legal counsel. https://www.amnesty.ie/urgent_action_-_uganda_opposition_party_leader_forcibly_disappered/?id=14591
- Human Rights Lawyer Eron Kiiza (2025): Kiiza was assaulted, arrested, and convicted by a military court while defending opposition leaders Dr. Kizza Besigye https://www.amnesty.org/en/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AFR5989722025ENGLISH.pdf)[5](https://amnesty.ca/urgent-actions/uganda-military-court-convicts-human-rights-lawyer-in-unfair-trial
- Abduction of Dr. Kizza Besigye (2024): The opposition leader was abducted in Nairobi and illegally transferred to Uganda, where he was charged in a military court. Amnesty called for his immediate release and condemned the violation of extradition laws https://www.amnestyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/UA-100.24-Uganda.pdf
As a result of Amnesty International’s Urgent Action and Write for Rights campaigns, more than 100 individuals have been released from prison, had their charges dropped, and their conditions improved.