A shocking revelation from Kenyan activist Bob Njagi has shaken the political landscape of East Africa. Njagi, who was abducted and held in Uganda for 38 days, has alleged that soldiers from the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) were secretly deployed to Nairobi during the Gen Z protests to crush the demonstrations. He says the soldiers admitted to crossing the border disguised as Kenyan police officers.
The claim has caused outrage and renewed calls for an independent investigation into possible regional security collusion and human rights violations.
Speaking in an interview after his release, Njagi described his ordeal and the conversations he had with detained UPDF soldiers.
According to him, the soldiers revealed that they were flown into Nairobi wearing Kenyan police uniforms and ordered to restore order by any means necessary.
Njagi said this was not an isolated case but a coordinated mission involving senior officials from both countries. The soldiers allegedly confessed that they were part of a joint plan to silence Kenya’s youth movement, which had organized mass protests against corruption, taxation, and poor governance.
Human rights organizations have reacted strongly, warning that if these claims are confirmed, they would amount to a breach of Kenya’s sovereignty and a serious abuse of regional security cooperation.
Njagi’s account has added weight to earlier reports suggesting that East African governments sometimes collaborate to suppress activism that challenges their rule.
Njagi and fellow activist Nicholas Oyoo were kidnapped on October 1 and disappeared without a trace. Their families searched for weeks until they were finally released on November 7. Njagi says they were held in a UPDF base near Kampala, where they were interrogated, beaten, and accused of plotting youth uprisings in both Kenya and Uganda.
He recounted how their captors took their phones, monitored their messages, and accused them of being foreign agents.
Both men bore physical injuries when they were handed over to Kenyan authorities at the Busia border.Njagi’s detailed testimony, including the names of military camps, routes, and commanding officers, has made it hard for governments to dismiss his claims.
However, both the Kenyan and Ugandan authorities have remained silent.
Uganda’s state media has dismissed the story as false, calling it propaganda meant to divide the region.
Following his release, Njagi announced his intention to run for the presidency in 2027 under his People Power Movement. He vowed to fight against torture, corruption, and foreign interference in Kenya’s politics. He said his mission now is to turn the anger of Gen Z protests into political action.
Njagi’s message of defiance and resilience has inspired many young Kenyans who view him as a symbol of courage in the face of state repression.
