Martha Karua’s plea to Ruto after Kenyan abducted in Ethiopia freed
The People’s Liberation Party Leader, Martha Karua, has requested President William Ruto to help in the tracking and safe return of two missing Kenyan activists who disappeared in Uganda.
Through a post on X on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, Karua acknowledged the government’s efforts in securing the freedom of Samuel Njagi Mbugua, the Kenyan national who was abducted in Ethiopia and later released after a Ksh3M ransom was paid.
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Karua, however, reminded the President that his duty as Head of State extends to all Kenyan citizens, including those still missing in foreign countries.
“Now locate Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo and bring them back to Kenya, it’s your duty, William Ruto,” Karua wrote.
Her statement comes a day after President Ruto, while addressing Kenyans living in Qatar, confirmed that the government had worked closely with Ethiopian authorities and another Kenyan, Samuel Njagi’s employer, to secure his release.
Ruto revealed that the ransom was paid by the company Njagi worked for after days of tense negotiations involving Kenya’s embassy in Addis Ababa and Ethiopian officials.
Kenyan Samuel Njagi secures freedom
By Wednesday morning, Njagi had already arrived in Nairobi, with the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS) confirming that he landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and was reunited with his family.
Human rights organisations have since applauded the government’s efforts in the Ethiopian case but are urging equal urgency in tracing Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, who were reportedly abducted in Uganda over a month ago.
Groups such as Amnesty International, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), and Voices of Community Activists and Leaders (VOCAL Africa) have jointly called for stronger diplomatic engagement with the Ugandan government.
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They maintain that both Njagi and Oyoo were allegedly taken by security personnel in Kampala on October 1, 2025, and have been missing since.
Karua’s remarks add to growing pressure on the Kenyan government to intervene decisively and ensure the safe return of all missing citizens abroad.
Karua has emphasised that protecting Kenyans, whether at home or overseas, should be a top priority of the state and called on the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to provide regular updates on the ongoing search efforts.
Her message follows President Ruto’s assurance in Doha that Kenya is strengthening safety systems for citizens working or living abroad, a move he said would help prevent similar incidents in the future.
