The release of Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo in Uganda has drawn attention to the quiet legal and diplomatic efforts that secured their freedom, with lawyer Ndegwa Njiru crediting Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo for leading the negotiations.
The two activists had been missing for over a month after they were reportedly abducted by Ugandan state agents for joining the campaign team of opposition leader Bobi Wine.
Njiru said the release followed weeks of intense behind-the-scenes talks coordinated by a joint legal team.
“Senator Maanzo led our legal team in the successful negotiations that brought about the release of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo,” Njiru stated, adding that the senator had personally spoken with the activists after their release in Busia.
Their disappearance had sparked regional concern and condemnation from rights groups, including the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), Amnesty International, and Vocal Africa.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo earlier described the case as a wake-up call for the East African Community to strengthen cross-border protection for human rights defenders.
“This moment should mark a shift in safeguarding the rights of East Africans wherever they are,” she said in a statement.
Njagi and Oyoo’s ordeal underscores the growing risks faced by civic actors operating across East Africa’s political boundaries.
Reports by Human Rights Watch indicate that activists in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania continue to face intimidation and arbitrary arrests, particularly during election cycles or political campaigns.
It also highlights the increasing role of Kenyan lawyers, politicians, and advocacy groups in regional human rights work.
The two activists were on Saturday transferred to Nairobi under the supervision of legal and security teams.
Their return has been welcomed by civic organizations and the Free Kenya Movement, which had staged multiple protests and online campaigns demanding their release.