The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has suspended all defence and military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye with immediate effect.
This marks the most serious official escalation yet in the worsening diplomatic dispute between Kampala and Ankara.
The announcement was made on Saturday in a brief statement issued by the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Col Chris Magezi, who said the suspension would remain in force until unresolved issues between the two countries are addressed.
“The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye,” Magezi said.
“The measure will remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved,” he added.
The suspension comes days after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba intensified pressure on Türkiye over its continued hosting of Ugandan government critic Fred Lumbuye, who has lived in the country for years and is wanted in Uganda over allegations of harmful propaganda, incitement and cyber related offences.
For weeks, Muhoozi has used his X account to accuse Turkish authorities of refusing to cooperate with Uganda’s requests regarding Lumbuye. He repeatedly warned that relations with Türkiye would face consequences if the matter was not resolved.
Earlier this month, the CDF announced that he had severed ties with Turkish interests in Uganda and issued a directive ordering Turkish nationals to leave the country within 30 days.
He also revived plans for a demonstration at the Turkish Embassy in Kampala after postponing earlier protests, saying Ugandans should peacefully express dissatisfaction with Türkiye’s handling of the Lumbuye issue.
The tensions culminated on Friday when hundreds of supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda gathered outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala demanding Lumbuye’s extradition.
The demonstration, organised by the Patriotic League of Uganda whose chairman is Gen Muhoozi, saw supporters carry Ugandan flags and placards while accusing Türkiye of providing refuge to a wanted suspect.
Addressing the protesters, PLU Secretary General Fadil Twaha said the demonstration was directed at the Turkish government’s decision to continue hosting Lumbuye rather than the Turkish people.
“We have gathered here today not as enemies of Turkish people but as patriots of Uganda who are deeply disappointed,” Twaha told demonstrators.
The embassy protest followed several days of heightened rhetoric from Muhoozi, who insisted that Uganda expected greater cooperation from a country with which it had enjoyed years of defence and military relations.
Türkiye has been an important partner for Uganda in recent years, with cooperation extending to defence, trade, infrastructure and diplomatic engagement. The two countries maintain embassies in Kampala and Ankara and have worked together in military training and broader bilateral initiatives.
The UPDF directive, however, represents the first official suspension of all defence and military cooperation between the two countries, moving the dispute beyond public exchanges on social media into formal government policy.
