Kenyan Activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo Threaten to Shut Down Tanzania After Being Released from Uganda.

Kenyan activists Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo have once again made headlines, this time after threatening to mobilize protests targeting Tanzania’s leadership. The two, who were recently released from detention in Uganda, announced plans to stage demonstrations and shut down the Kenyan–Tanzanian border in solidarity with what they described as “oppressed Tanzanians under dictatorship.”

Njagi, speaking shortly after his release, said the group is planning action on December 9th, Tanzania’s Independence Day, claiming they will not allow what he called “a stolen election” to stand.

“We are hoping that on December 9th, which Tanzania has declared as Independence Day, we in Kenya will also declare a total shutdown. We are going to stand in solidarity with our brothers in Tanzania and we are going to shut our borders in Kenya in solidarity with Tanzania. We are actually calling for the Tanzanian Embassy to be closed down immediately and we are asking our legislators in Parliament to push for this motion,” said Njagi.

The threats come just weeks after Njagi and Oyoo were apprehended in Uganda for allegedly attempting to incite protests during a political campaign event. They were arrested in Eastern Uganda and held incommunicado for over a month before being released in early November. Human rights organizations later confirmed their detention by Ugandan security forces.

While in custody, the two activists reportedly told investigators that their mission in Uganda was to “mobilize youth for change,” a move Ugandan authorities interpreted as an attempt to instigate unrest. Uganda’s government, led by a military general, has maintained strict control over political demonstrations.

Now back in Kenya, Njagi appears undeterred, shifting his focus to Tanzania, where President Samia Suluhu Hassan was recently declared the winner of a disputed election with nearly 98% of the vote. The result has sparked controversy, with opposition parties alleging widespread irregularities, voter exclusion, and repression of dissent.

Njagi and his colleagues claim their planned protests are meant to “help Tanzanians free themselves from dictatorship,” though analysts warn that such cross-border activism could strain relations among East African nations.

Both Ugandan and Tanzanian authorities are yet to officially comment on Njagi’s latest statements, but regional observers say his remarks could draw heightened security attention ahead of Tanzania’s Independence Day.