By Staff Reporter
KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda has suspended all military and defence cooperation with Turkey following a growing diplomatic dispute over Ankara’s handling of prominent Ugandan political commentator Fred Lumbuye.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced the suspension on Saturday, saying the measure would remain in place until outstanding issues between the two countries were resolved.
“UPDF has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Turkiye,” army spokesman Chris Magezi said in a statement.
“The measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved,” he added.
The dispute centres on Lumbuye, a vocal critic of President Yoweri Museveni who is facing 15 criminal charges, including allegations of incitement to violence, spreading false information and computer misuse.
Army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son and a prominent political figure, has repeatedly clashed with Turkish authorities over efforts to have Lumbuye extradited to Uganda.
Tensions escalated on Friday when thousands of supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda, a civic and political pressure group associated with Kainerugaba, demonstrated outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala.
Kainerugaba later reposted the UPDF statement announcing the suspension on X.
Uganda and Turkey have maintained close defence relations for nearly a decade, including cooperation in military training, arms procurement, surveillance equipment, technology transfers, counter-terrorism and other security matters.
The latest dispute has also raised wider economic and diplomatic tensions between Kampala and Ankara.
Ugandan authorities have reportedly threatened to cancel a $3 billion railway contract awarded to Turkish construction company Yapi Merkezi and have also raised the possibility of expelling Turkish nationals from Uganda.
The suspension marks a significant setback in defence relations between the two countries as Kampala and Ankara face mounting disagreements over security and political matters.
