KAMPALA — Ugandan security operatives have arrested two Kenyan human rights defenders after they participated in political rallies organized by opposition leader and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.
The activists, Bob Nyagi and Nicholas Ayoo, were seized at a petrol station in Kireka, east of Kampala, by armed officers before being taken away.
According to local reports, the pair had earlier joined Bobi Wine’s campaign events in eastern Uganda.
On Wednesday night, Bobi Wine condemned the arrests, calling them politically motivated.
📰 Also Read This:
“We strongly condemn the arrest of Kenyan activists and human rights defenders Bob Nyagi and Nicholas Ayoo,” Wine said in a statement. “The regime has apparently targeted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause.”
Ugandan authorities have previously warned foreign activists against what they call interference in the country’s internal politics. Several regional activists have in the past been arrested and deported after attending opposition gatherings.
Rights groups accuse Uganda’s security agencies of arbitrary arrests, harassment, and deportations aimed at stifling cross-border solidarity with opposition movements.
Government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
