On October 1st, 2025, Kenyan human rights defenders Nicholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi were abducted in Kampala, Uganda. Witnesses saw them taken at gunpoint, and their phones were switched off immediately. Since that day, their families have had no contact, and no authority has confirmed their whereabouts.

Having known Nicholas all my life, I can attest to his integrity, his tireless fight for justice, civil rights, and better governance. His disappearance is a painful reality for his family, who wake up each day not knowing where he is or if he is safe. Bob, too, is a committed activist whose absence is deeply felt by those who know and work with him. Their disappearance is not only a personal tragedy but also a blow to the wider community that depends on their courage and leadership.

Enforced disappearances are not isolated incidents. According to human rights organizations, hundreds of cases of abductions and incommunicado detentions have been documented in East Africa in the past five years. In Uganda alone, civil society has recorded dozens of activists who were taken without charge, often held in secret facilities. These practices violate both Ugandan law (which limits detention without charge to 48 hours) and international human rights treaties, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Every day that Nicholas and Bob remain missing increases the risk to their safety. If nothing is done, it sets a dangerous precedent that anyone can be taken without accountability. This is not only about two men — it is about the right of every person in East Africa to live free from fear of abduction.

We call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, the Uganda Police Force, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to act urgently. Nicholas and Bob must be located, released, and safely returned to their families.

By signing this petition, you are joining families, civil society, and concerned citizens around the world in demanding justice. Together, we can ensure Nicholas and Bob are brought home safely — and that no family has to endure this pain in silence.