Thursday 2 October , 2025 {HMC} Tension is mounting in Uganda after two Kenyan activists, Bob Njagi and Nicholas Oyoo, were abducted in Kampala by armed operatives on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

The incident, which occurred at a petrol station in Kireka, has sparked outrage among human rights defenders and opposition leaders.

According to Bobi Wine, the pair was bundled into a vehicle “mafia-style” and driven to an undisclosed location, with their whereabouts still unknown.

“We strongly condemn the abduction by armed operatives, of Kenyan activists and human rights defenders Bob Nyagi and Nicholas Ayoo. The two were picked up mafia-style this afternoon from a petrol station in Kireka and driven off to an unknown destination!” Bobi Wine stated.

Before this, Bob Njagi had spoken about his 2024 abduction ordeal.

Ugandan govt fingered 

The opposition figure accused Ugandan security agencies of operating outside the law, describing the incident as part of a pattern of intimidation targeting his supporters.

The duo had travelled to Uganda to join Bobi Wine on his campaign trail on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

“We condemn the continuing lawlessness by the rogue regime and demand that these brothers are released unconditionally! The criminal regime apparently abducted them simply for associating with me and expressing solidarity with our cause!” he stated.

The fate and whereabouts of Njagi and Ayoo remain unclear, with human rights groups and political activists in Uganda and Kenya now demanding their immediate release.

The incident comes a year after Bob Njagi and Aslam Longton were abducted on August 19, 2024, and forcibly held incommunicado for 32 days following their participation in multiple demonstrations against economic policies that we believed would further burden Kenyans.

Bob Njagi’s abduction in Kenya

After their release, they narrated that they had been subjected to torture by security agents for what they termed as advocating progressive economic reforms and better governance.

“We, Bob Njagi and Aslam Longton, were abducted on August 19, 2024, and forcibly held incommunicado for 32 days following our participation in multiple demonstrations against economic policies that we believed would further burden Kenyans. Jamil Longton was forcefully disappeared as he prevented the capture of his brother, Aslam,” they said in a joint statement.

“During our captivity, we were subjected to torture by security agents simply for advocating progressive economic reforms and better governance. Although we were released on September 20, 2024, we have since lived in constant fear of further enforced disappearances and persecution by the state.”

source hiiraan oline

Thursday 2 October , 2025 {HMC}In a city long associated with conflict and instability, Mogadishu this past week staged a different kind of gathering—one that sought to connect climate action with peacebuilding.

The Somali capital hosted the inaugural Mogadishu Climate Talk, a forum organized by the German Embassy in Somalia in collaboration with the Somali Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and the Berghof Foundation.

“This is not just a climate conference—it is a peace dialogue,” German Ambassador Sebastian Groth said in his opening remarks.

“And it is vital that we hold this conversation here, in Mogadishu, where the impacts of climate change are not abstract projections, but daily realities.”

Unlike previous international forums often held in regional hubs like Nairobi or Addis Ababa, the decision to convene the talks in Mogadishu was deliberate.

Organizers said it was meant to root the discussion in Somali realities and elevate local voices in global climate discourse.

Somalia on the climate frontline 

Although Somalia contributes minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, it is among the most climate-vulnerable nations.

With more than 80 percent of its population relying on agriculture and pastoralism, the country faces frequent droughts, floods, and rising temperatures that threaten livelihoods and deepen instability.

“Climate change in Somalia is a threat multiplier,” Ambassador Groth stressed. “It deepens existing vulnerabilities, fuels displacement, and strains already scarce natural resources. But it also provides a unique opportunity to build resilience through cooperation.”

Panel discussions examined how environmental pressures intersect with land disputes, migration, and long-standing socio-political tensions.

Participants underscored that climate adaptation measures could also serve as tools for peacebuilding and strengthening institutional trust.

Policy progress amid challenges

Somalia has taken steps to strengthen climate governance, including the rollout of its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0), a national adaptation plan, and enhanced access to the Green Climate Fund.

“These are no small achievements in a complex environment,” Groth said. “They reflect the determination of Somali institutions and the growing recognition that the climate crisis must be met with serious, sustained action.”

He added that environmental policy has become “a rare space for constructive collaboration across Somalia’s federal and regional institutions—an encouraging sign in a politically fragmented landscape.”

Local knowledge, global relevance

The Berghof Foundation, which has a long track record in peacebuilding initiatives across Somalia, facilitated the forum with an emphasis on inclusive dialogue.

Women, youth, and community leaders were central to the discussions, bringing lived experiences to the table.

“Peacebuilding and climate resilience must go hand in hand,” one youth representative said. “Our communities are ready to lead—we just need the tools and trust to do so.”

The talks also tied Somali perspectives to global priorities ahead of the COP30 summit in Brazil, highlighting how grassroots experiences can inform international climate action.

A first step

For many participants, the Mogadishu Climate Talk was both symbolic and practical—a beginning rather than an end.

“It is our hope that this is the beginning of a sustained dialogue,” Ambassador Groth said in his closing remarks.

“One that continues to bridge the climate-peace divide and places Somalia not only as a recipient of global support, but as a contributor to global solutions.”

As the gathering concluded, organizers said the event reflected Mogadishu’s resilience and its determination to shape a more sustainable and peaceful future—one where climate action and peacebuilding advance hand in hand.

source hiiraan oline