Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has received widespread praise from human rights groups and legal organizations for his behind-the-scenes role in securing the release of Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo from Ugandan custody.
The two had been detained for several weeks under unclear circumstances, sparking public outrage and diplomatic tension between Nairobi and Kampala.
According to multiple civil society sources, Kenyatta’s discreet diplomatic engagement proved pivotal after formal negotiations between the two governments reportedly stalled.
While details remain undisclosed, insiders suggest that Kenyatta leveraged his long-standing personal ties within Uganda’s political establishment to push for a resolution that allowed the activists’ safe return to Kenya earlier this week.
The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) jointly commended the former Head of State, describing his intervention as “a timely act of patriotism that transcended political divides.”
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They noted that his involvement demonstrated the continuing influence of non-state diplomacy in regional affairs, particularly in cases where official channels appear constrained.
Meanwhile, criticism continues to mount against the Kenyan government over what observers describe as its “slow, opaque, and indifferent” handling of the activists’ plight.
Many argue that it was Kenyatta’s informal pressure and personal credibility, rather than structured diplomacy, that finally broke the weeks-long deadlock.
Njagi and Oyoo have since recounted harrowing experiences of alleged torture while in Ugandan detention, prompting renewed calls for regional accountability and stronger protections for activists operating across East Africa.
Kenyatta has not commented publicly on his involvement, but sources close to him confirmed that he acted “purely on humanitarian grounds” to ensure the activists’ safety and return home.
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