Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s shocking confession — that two Kenyan nationals were “put in the fridge” by his security forces — has ignited outrage, diplomatic panic, and fresh accusations of state-sponsored abductions across the region.
November 9, 2025
KAMPALA, UGANDA — The East African political landscape has been rocked to its core after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni publicly admitted that two Kenyan citizens were secretly arrested and held “in the fridge” — a phrase that has now become a symbol of fear, repression, and unaccountable power in the region.
The two men, identified as Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, vanished mysteriously in early October after reportedly attending a political gathering linked to Ugandan opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine. For 38 days, their whereabouts were a mystery — until Museveni himself dropped the bombshell in a televised interview.
“We arrested two Kenyans… They were experts in riots,” Museveni declared unapologetically. “They have been in the fridge for some days.”
The president’s admission sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles in Nairobi and Kampala, with Kenyan authorities confirming that the men were released only after “intense diplomatic pressure.” Human rights organizations, meanwhile, have slammed Uganda for engaging in what they call “state-sponsored kidnappings.”
Eyewitnesses and rights groups claim the activists were detained in a secret military facility, subjected to sleep deprivation, and denied contact with their families or lawyers. One of the released Kenyans described the experience as “a living nightmare,” adding:
“We didn’t think we’d make it out alive. Every night we wondered if it was our last.”
Museveni’s candid remarks — and his choice of words — have sparked fury online. On social media, hashtags like #FreeTheFridgeVictims and #MuseveniExposed have trended across East Africa, as citizens demand accountability for what many are calling “a chilling metaphor for dictatorship.”
Political analysts say Museveni’s admission could deepen tensions between Uganda and Kenya, threatening regional cooperation within the East African Community (EAC). Others believe the president’s defiant tone is a calculated show of power ahead of Uganda’s next election cycle.
“Museveni has always ruled through fear,” said one Kampala-based political observer. “But this time, he may have gone too far — his own words have become the evidence against him.”
As the dust settles, the “fridge” scandal may prove to be more than a passing controversy. It stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by activists across East Africa — and the chilling lengths to which regimes will go to silence dissent.
