By Swift Reporter
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye, a decision announced a day after supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) marched to the Turkish Embassy in Kampala over the continued stay of Ugandan activist Fred Lumbuye in Türkiye.
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 19, the UPDF said the suspension takes immediate effect and will remain in place until outstanding issues concerning defence and military cooperation between Uganda and Türkiye are resolved.
“The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has with immediate effect suspended all and any Defence and Military cooperation with the Republic of Türkiye,” the statement said.
The statement, signed by Colonel Chris Magezi, Acting Director of Defence Public Information at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs/UPDF, did not specify the particular outstanding issues behind the decision.
The announcement comes shortly after Friday’s PLU demonstration in Kampala, during which hundreds of supporters marched from Lugogo Cricket Oval to the Turkish Embassy in Kololo.
The protesters, led by PLU Secretary General Fadil Twalla, called for Türkiye to facilitate the return of Lumbuye to Uganda, where authorities have accused him of offences including incitement, harmful propaganda and cyber-related crimes. The precise legal status of Lumbuye’s case in Türkiye has not been publicly clarified.
The Turkish Embassy had announced that it would close its offices on Friday because of the planned demonstration. PLU has maintained that its protest was directed at the handling of Lumbuye’s case rather than against Turkish citizens. The organisation has also argued that Uganda and Türkiye should maintain reciprocal relations and respect each other’s sovereignty and legal processes.
The demonstration followed months of publicly expressed disagreements between Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and chairman of PLU, and Turkish authorities. Earlier this month, Kainerugaba directed PLU to organise the September 18 demonstration.
The UPDF’s latest announcement, however, is the first formal military statement specifically confirming a suspension of defence and military cooperation with Türkiye.
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