Kagwanja blasts Museveni over comments on Kenyan activists
By Mabonga Makhanu, November 11, 2025Political analyst Professor Peter Kagwanja has faulted Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni over the comments he made regarding Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who were abducted and detained in Uganda but released a few days ago.
While appearing on a local TV station on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Kagwanja called out Museveni for his remarks, saying they were the least expected of him.
He noted that Museveni, who grew up following in the footsteps of former Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere—a leader who valued democracy—has instead become one of its biggest threats.
He further stated that if there is a person who should be a champion of democracy, it should be Museveni himself, since he is the one who has destroyed it, especially in the East African region. Kagwanja added that Museveni should be working to restore democracy rather than undermine it.
He went on to say that Museveni should feel ashamed of the comments he made about the Kenyan activists, boasting about detaining and torturing them and even claiming that he could have done more.
“When he comes out and boasts that he has been holding two Kenyans in the fridge and that he could have done more, he should be ashamed of himself. I am saying this because he has a responsibility to bring East Africa into a diadem that the rest of the world is going to envy,” Kagwanja said.
According to Kagwanja, such comments are a threat to democracy and to the spirit of the East African Community (EAC). He emphasised that when a person travels from Kenya to Uganda or Tanzania, they are exercising regional integration, but with such remarks from Museveni, no one can proudly claim to be a member of the EAC.
Museveni’s remarks
These came after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said his government arrested two Kenyans who are experts in riots.
Speaking to Uganda’s national broadcaster on Saturday, November 8, 2025, Museveni commended the country’s intelligence for thwarting the plans of the duo, whom he accused of working with National Unity Platform leader Bobi Wine.
The president proceeded to warn the youth against engaging in unruly acts, cautioning that such behaviour will not be tolerated under his watch.
He similarly sent a caution to an unnamed individual he claimed had been deceiving the youths to engage in riots.
These came after the release of two Kenyan activists who were held incommunicado for over 38 days.