Uganda has suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye as tensions between the two countries continue to grow over Ugandan political commentator and government critic Fred Lumbuye.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced the decision on September 19, saying the suspension would remain in place until unresolved issues related to defence and military cooperation between the two countries are settled. However, the army did not clearly state that Lumbuye’s case was the direct reason for the decision.
The move is the latest development in a dispute that has been building for months. Uganda has repeatedly asked Türkiye to hand over Lumbuye, who lives in Türkiye and has been highly critical of President Yoweri Museveni and his government.
The situation became more tense after supporters of Uganda’s Patriotic League demonstrated outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala on September 18. They demanded that Türkiye extradite Lumbuye to Uganda.
Uganda Halts Military Cooperation
The UPDF announced that its decision took immediate effect. Colonel Chris Magezi, Acting Director of Defence Public Information, said Uganda had suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye.
The military did not provide a detailed explanation of the outstanding matters. It also did not say exactly which programmes or agreements would be affected by the suspension.
According to the UPDF, the decision will remain in place until the unresolved issues involving mutual defence and military cooperation are addressed. No date has been given for when cooperation could restart.
The lack of specific details has added uncertainty to the situation. While the announcement came shortly after the protest over Lumbuye, Uganda’s military statement did not directly mention him or the demonstration.
Still, the timing has connected the military decision with the wider disagreement between Kampala and Ankara.
Who Is Fred Lumbuye?
Fred Lumbuye is a Ugandan political commentator and blogger who lives in Türkiye. He has become known for his strong criticism of President Museveni and Uganda’s government.
Ugandan authorities accuse him of several offences, including incitement to violence, spreading false information and computer-related crimes. Reports have said that police opened 15 case files against him in 2021.
Lumbuye’s online political activity has attracted considerable attention in Uganda. Authorities have described some of his activities as anti-government propaganda.
For Uganda, bringing him back has become an important issue. For Türkiye, however, the situation involves its own legal and diplomatic considerations.
The disagreement over his extradition has therefore continued for months without a clear solution.
Pressure From Uganda’s Army Chief
One of the most visible figures in the dispute is General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and the son of President Museveni.
Kainerugaba has repeatedly criticised Türkiye over its decision to continue hosting Lumbuye. He has called for the Ugandan critic to be returned to Uganda.
His involvement has made the dispute more prominent because he is not only the country’s top military officer but also an influential political figure.
The Patriotic League of Uganda, a political pressure group associated with Kainerugaba, organised the demonstration outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala on September 18. Hundreds of Ugandans took part, according to reports, demanding Lumbuye’s extradition.
The protest added another layer to an already difficult relationship between the two countries.
Protest Outside Turkish Embassy
The demonstration in Kampala was one of the clearest public signs of the growing dispute.
Protesters gathered outside the Turkish Embassy and demanded that Ankara send Lumbuye back to Uganda. The demonstration came after repeated calls from Ugandan officials for Türkiye to cooperate with Kampala.
The protest also showed that the disagreement was no longer limited to government officials and diplomatic discussions.
According to reports, the Turkish Embassy remained closed on September 18 because of the demonstration.
The protest took place only one day before Uganda’s army announced the suspension of military cooperation with Türkiye.
Although the timing is significant, it is important to note that the UPDF did not officially say that the protest or Lumbuye’s case caused the military suspension.
Uganda and Türkiye Have Strong Defence Links
The latest decision is important because Uganda and Türkiye have developed defence relations over several years.
Their cooperation has included military training, defence industry links, equipment, technology and security-related cooperation. The two countries also have a military cooperation framework dating back to a 2016 memorandum of understanding.
This means the suspension could affect more than one area of defence relations.
Military cooperation between countries can involve training programmes, equipment purchases, technical support, security cooperation and other activities. Uganda’s statement did not explain which of these areas are now on hold.
The government also did not announce how long the suspension could continue.
For now, the UPDF has only said that cooperation will remain suspended until the unresolved matters are settled.
Dispute Goes Beyond the Lumbuye Case
The disagreement between Uganda and Türkiye has grown beyond the question of one political critic.
Recent reports have pointed to a series of tensions between the two countries. Kainerugaba has previously threatened action against Turkish interests in Uganda, including a warning about a major railway contract involving Turkish construction company Yapı Merkezi. Reports have also mentioned threats to expel Turkish nationals from Uganda.
These developments have increased pressure on relations between Kampala and Ankara.
At the same time, Uganda continues to have economic and diplomatic links with Türkiye. This means the military dispute does not automatically mean that all relations between the two countries have ended.
In fact, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare was reported to have dismissed as fake a statement circulating online that was presented as a Turkish government statement about General Kainerugaba. The report shows that officials are also dealing with misleading information as tensions rise.
Uganda Has Not Announced a Full Diplomatic Break
The suspension of military cooperation should not be confused with a complete end to diplomatic relations.
Uganda has not announced that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Türkiye. The current decision is specifically about defence and military cooperation.
The two countries can still maintain relations in areas such as trade, business and diplomacy even while military cooperation remains suspended.
A Ugandan commentary published on September 21 also noted that Uganda was continuing commercial engagement with Türkiye at the same time as the defence dispute was developing.
This shows how countries can continue cooperation in one area while facing disagreements in another.
What Happens Next?
The future of Uganda-Türkiye military relations will depend largely on whether the two sides can resolve the issues that led to the suspension.
The UPDF has not provided a deadline or a detailed list of demands. It has simply said that cooperation will remain suspended until outstanding matters are resolved.
One of the key issues likely to remain under attention is the situation involving Fred Lumbuye. Uganda wants him returned, while he remains in Türkiye.
Any development in his legal or diplomatic situation could therefore affect the wider relationship between Kampala and Ankara.
At the same time, both countries have interests that go beyond this dispute. Defence cooperation has developed over many years, while trade and other diplomatic relations also remain important.
A Growing Diplomatic Challenge for Uganda
The dispute has created a difficult situation for Uganda’s leadership.
On one side, Ugandan authorities want Lumbuye returned and have strongly objected to his continued presence in Türkiye. On the other side, the government has to manage its wider relationship with Ankara, including military and economic cooperation.
The suspension of defence ties shows how far the disagreement has developed.
However, because the UPDF has not publicly explained the specific unresolved issues, it is still unclear how much of the decision is directly connected to Lumbuye’s case and how much relates to other defence matters.
That distinction is important because the official military statement did not name Lumbuye.
Why the Decision Matters
The suspension is significant because military cooperation is an important part of relations between countries.
Uganda and Türkiye have spent years building links in defence, training and security. A complete suspension puts those activities on hold until the two sides find a way forward.
It also comes at a sensitive time, when public protests and statements from senior Ugandan officials have increased pressure on Türkiye.
For Türkiye, the Lumbuye case is now part of a much wider discussion about its relationship with Uganda. For Uganda, the case remains linked to demands for the return of a critic wanted by its authorities.
The next steps taken by both governments will help determine whether the current dispute remains limited to military cooperation or spreads into other areas.
Conclusion
Uganda has suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye, saying the move will continue until unresolved issues between the two countries are settled. The UPDF has not provided full details about those issues.
The decision came after months of tension over Ugandan political blogger Fred Lumbuye, who lives in Türkiye and has strongly criticised President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
The dispute became more visible after supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda held a demonstration outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala, calling for Lumbuye’s extradition.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s army chief and Museveni’s son, has been one of the strongest voices demanding that Türkiye return Lumbuye.
Despite the timing, Uganda’s army has not officially said that Lumbuye’s case directly caused the suspension. For now, the UPDF has only confirmed that military cooperation is on hold until outstanding defence issues are resolved.
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