A busy October for justice: Freedom Hive Uganda’s Push for the Release of Disappeared Activists Sam Mugumya, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo.

The month of October has been a critical month for justice, accountability, and the fight to end enforced disappearances in Uganda. Over the past weeks, Freedom Hive Uganda has been actively engaged in advocacy and legal actions demanding the release of disappeared activists Sam Mugumya, and the two Kenyan human rights defenders Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo.

Legal Action: Habeas Corpus for Bob Njagi & Nicholas Oyoo

Five days after the enforced disappearance of Ncholas Oyoo and Bob Njagi, on October 6, 2025, our team accompanied human rights lawyers Eron Kiiza and Kato Tumusime to file a habeas corpus application in the High Court of Uganda. The application sought to compel the government to immediately and unconditionally release Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who were forcibly disappeared on October 1, 2025, in Kampala.

The petition specifically named the Chief of Defence Forces, Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Inspector General of Police, and the Attorney General as respondents, calling on them to urgently account for the whereabouts of the two missing activists.

Petition to Uganda Human Rights Commission

On October 10, 2025, we delivered a petition to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), urging the Commission to take concrete and immediate action to protect the rights of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, and to demand their immediate release.

On the same day, we submitted a separate petition concerning Sam Mugumya, who has been held in long-term incommunicado detention. We appealed to the UHRC to investigate his detention conditions and advocate for his release in line with Uganda’s human rights obligations.

Court Order: Government Given 7 Days

On October 14, 2025, we returned to the High Court for the hearing of the habeas corpus application, led by lawyers Eron Kiiza and Kato Tumusime. The Court ruled in favor of the petition and ordered the Ugandan government to produce Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo within seven days, whether dead or alive. This marks a significant legal milestone in our pursuit of justice.

International Action: Appeal to the United Nations

In collaboration with the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Freedom Hive Uganda submitted an urgent humanitarian action request to the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.

This international mechanism can now formally review the case and issue a communication to the Ugandan government, calling upon it to provide an official explanation regarding the enforced disappearance of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo.

Online campaign.

Freedom Hive Uganda has also engaged and continues to engage in an online campaign calling for release of Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo. The campaign aims to raise awareness and put pressure on the responsible authorities to release the two activists.

Cross-border Solidarity.

We also continue to actively engage in cross-border solidarity, standing with all victims of state repression and abduction across East Africa a region that has witnessed a troubling surge in abductions. Our solidarity with Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to a just and free East African region, one where human rights are respected and protected.

Standing Firm for Human Rights

The past few weeks have shown that we are not powerless in the face of injustice. Through legal channels, international advocacy, and the collective strength, we continue to fight for the dignity and freedom of those unjustly detained.

Freedom is not a privilege – it is a right. We will not rest until Bob Njagi, Nicholas Oyoo, and Sam Mugumya are free.

For media inquiries or partnership opportunities, please contact info@fhug.org