Maraga demands Kenya summon Ugandan envoy over missing activists Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo

Former Chief Justice David Maraga has asked the government to summon the Ugandan ambassador to Kenya and demand the immediate release of activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, terming their disappearance a grave violation of human rights and a test of Kenya’s diplomatic resolve.

In a statement on Wednesday, Maraga slammed both the Ugandan and Kenyan governments, accusing them of complicity through silence and failure to protect citizens from cross-border abductions.

Njagi and Oyoo have been missing since October 1, 2025, after they were reportedly abducted in broad daylight in Kaliro, Uganda.

“For 27 agonising days, two of our own, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, have been missing. These are not just names; they are young, courageous Kenyans who dared to believe in a more just and democratic future for our region,” Maraga said.

He described their disappearance as an affront to the rule of law, the sanctity of life and the security of the person, saying it violated fundamental human rights guaranteed to all.

“What has followed their abduction is a grotesque miscarriage of justice that should chill every citizen of East Africa. We have witnessed a denial of responsibility from the Ugandan authorities, who claim not to know their whereabouts, despite credible reports implicating their security forces,” he added.

He condemned the Ugandan High Court's move to dismiss a habeas corpus application filed to compel authorities to produce the two activists, terming it a disturbing validation of impunity.

“The court’s declaration that it ‘cannot squeeze blood from a stone’ is not just a legal finding; it is a declaration of impunity. It tells us that in our region, the state can silence its critics and sanitise its action through courts of law,” Maraga said.

Turning his attention to the Kenyan government, the 2027 presidential candidate accused the administration of indifference and inaction, saying earlier assurances from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had “evaporated into a void of inaction and indifference.”

“To our government, I ask: Where is the outrage? Where is the diplomatic pressure? Where is the demand for the safe return of your citizens?” he posed.

“The primary duty of any government is the protection of its people, at home and abroad. On this fundamental test, the current administration has failed Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo, and the entire nation of Kenya. This silence is not diplomacy; it is complicity.”

Maraga said the abductions reflected a deepening crisis of human rights and governance in East Africa, warning that regional leaders were collaborating to stifle dissent.

“This tragic case is not an isolated incident. It is a symptom of a much deeper and more virulent disease spreading across East Africa. A dark cloud of repression is descending upon our region, threatening to extinguish the hard-won freedoms we have fought for,” he said.

He noted that the collapse of the rule of law in one East African country had a ripple effect on neighbouring states.

“The failure of the rule of law in any one East African country inevitably undermines stability, security, and prosperity across the entire region. When institutions in one country collapse under corruption, impunity or political manipulation, borders cannot contain the consequences of broken families affected by instability and political terror. The integrity of governance in East Africa is a collective responsibility,” the former CJ said.

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Maraga cited rising repression across the region, saying Kenya’s streets, once symbols of democracy, had become scenes of brutal repression against youths.

“In Tanzania, the hope for reform has been replaced by the jailing of opposition figures and the abduction of those who come to bear witness. And in Uganda, the machinery of the state has been perfected to crush any and all opposition. The abduction of Kenyans in Uganda, and of Kenyan and Ugandan activists in Tanzania, points to a terrifying new reality of cross-border tyranny,” he said.

He has now urged the Kenyan government to break its silence and immediately summon the Ugandan Ambassador and use every diplomatic, economic and legal tool at its disposal to demand the safe and immediate return of Njagi and Oyoo.

“Your duty is to them, not to the false comfort of regional diplomacy,” he said.

He also asked the Ugandan government to honour its obligations under international human rights conventions by taking full responsibility for the disappearance of the two Kenyans.

Maraga said Uganda cannot claim to be a modern state while engaging in what he termed as “the barbaric practice of enforced disappearances.”

“To the Government of Uganda: You are a signatory to international human rights conventions. You cannot claim to be a modern state while engaging in the barbaric practice of enforced disappearances. Produce Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo. Investigate this heinous crime and hold the perpetrators, no matter their rank, accountable,” he said.

He further called on the East African Community (EAC) and the African Union (AU) to speak out, saying their silence was a betrayal of their founding principles.

“You cannot be a club of leaders who protect each other from accountability. You must be a community of people, united by shared values. I call on you to publicly condemn these actions and establish an independent, region-wide inquiry into the escalating crisis of enforced disappearances,” he said.

He expressed solidarity with the missing Kenyan families and praised the resilience of young Kenyans who continue to fight for justice.

“To the families of Bob and Nicholas, we share your pain and stand with you in solidarity. To the brave young people of Kenya and East Africa who continue to fight for justice, do not despair. Your courage is not in vain,” he said.

“We stand at a crossroads. We can either accept this descent into authoritarianism, or we can rise together and demand a future rooted in justice, accountability and unwavering respect for human rights. I have made my choice. I choose to fight for a Kenya, and an East Africa, where no parent has to fear their child will be disappeared for speaking their mind. I choose to fight for a government that serves its people, not one that preys on them.”