Stella Nyanzi Flies Back to Germany After Nairobi Ordeal
We recognize the frustration caused by unjust systems. But equally, we affirm the importance of choosing language that distinguishes between flawed institutions and the individuals within them who advocate for change.
Uganda Today Edition: Stella Nyanzi Flies Back to Germany After Nairobi Ordeal: A Triumph of Solidarity Over Bureaucracy
By Uganda Today Reporter
www.ugandatoday.co.ug | May 28, 2025
Ugandan activist, writer, and academic Dr. Stella Nyanzi has finally been cleared to return to Germany after a harrowing diplomatic impasse that kept her stranded in Nairobi, Kenya for several days. In a heartfelt post on her social media, Nyanzi confirmed that she is now en route to Munich, marking the end of a tense episode that exposed the fragility of refugee protections and the harsh realities of statelessness in a global system often entangled in bureaucratic red tape.
This development follows two earlier reports by Uganda Today that detailed how the German embassy in Nairobi denied her re-entry to Germany, despite her valid refugee status and travel documents. Dr. Nyanzi, known for her fearless activism against President Yoweri Museveni’s regime, had traveled briefly from Germany, where she has been granted asylum. Her inability to re-enter the country raised questions around the consistency of Germany’s asylum protections, particularly for high-profile political dissidents from authoritarian regimes.
From Despair to Hope: A Web of Solidarity
In a moving message that reads like both a testimony and a thank-you note, Dr. Nyanzi acknowledged the scores of individuals and networks that rallied to her side in Nairobi and internationally to resolve the crisis.
“I reported on my social media accounts about my temporary crisis with travelling back home… and indeed, I have experienced practical kindness, genuine concern and support with trouble-shooting from many people,” she wrote. “Good Germans, Good Kenyans, Good Ugandans, Good Danish, Good Austrians, Good Humans.”
From Berlin, members of PEN Berlin, a writers’ association defending free expression, intervened by contacting the German embassy to facilitate her entry without a prior appointment. Activists and friends such as Sophie, Andrea, Thea, Joachim, Deniz, Jayrome, and Konrad helped secure a new air ticket and negotiated her safe re-entry with immigration authorities in both Nairobi and Munich.
In Nairobi, a legal team coordinated by Njoki Gachanja and led by Counsel Brian Olang Kolang developed a sound legal strategy that shielded her from possible abduction or arbitrary arrest—a fear she publicly shared, citing the fate of other Ugandan dissidents previously targeted in East Africa.
Coordinated Resistance and Security Networks
The solidarity extended beyond legal representation. Friends and comrades ensured her physical and emotional well-being, including food, shelter, therapy, and emotional support. One ally, Phil Wilmot, served as “psychiatrist, food monger, conversationalist, editor and sanitary purchaser,” while also liaising with a broader network of Scandinavian anarchists and Nordic People Power pacifists who helped monitor and support her security.
“I turned off my phone, avoided windows and worked hard to abide by the security protocol,” she shared, offering a glimpse into the anxiety that defined her days in hiding.
Entering Germany Again, But Not Without Questions
Despite the joyous outcome, Dr. Nyanzi’s ordeal poses hard questions for Germany’s immigration bureaucracy. How can a recognised refugee be denied re-entry into their host country without explanation? Why are protective mechanisms so easily disrupted, especially for activists exposed to danger in third countries?
“I am entering Germany as a Ugandan refugee protected by the Germans. Thanks to the German embassy in Nairobi for making this happen,” Nyanzi stated, while wearing a tee-shirt boldly emblazoned with the word “RESIST.”
Editorial Note: On Reckless Rhetoric and Strategic Activism
While Dr. Nyanzi’s journey back to Germany is rightly celebrated, Uganda Today urges her—as a prominent voice for justice and free expression—to consider refraining from sweeping or inflammatory remarks that may jeopardize future diplomatic efforts or strain relations with entities that have demonstrated goodwill, however imperfectly.
Her fierce independence and refusal to self-censor have long defined her activism, but in sensitive diplomatic scenarios, cautious strategic engagement may serve the broader goals of the movement more effectively.
We recognize the frustration caused by unjust systems. But equally, we affirm the importance of choosing language that distinguishes between flawed institutions and the individuals within them who advocate for change.
This episode is not just a tale of bureaucratic hiccups—it is a story of resilience, solidarity, and the indomitable will of a woman refusing to be silenced.
Uganda Today remains committed to covering the lived experiences of Ugandan exiles and dissidents worldwide.
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