By Wamala Sipirian
Published: September 19, 2026
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye with immediate effect, citing unresolved issues between the two countries.
The decision was announced in a brief statement issued in Kampala on September 19, 2026, by Col. Chris Magezi, the acting director of Defence Public Information.
Magezi said the suspension would remain in place until Uganda and Türkiye resolve outstanding matters concerning defence and military cooperation.
The UPDF did not disclose the nature of the unresolved issues. It also did not provide a timeline for when military cooperation between the two countries could resume.
The suspension follows a protest by members of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) outside the Turkish Embassy in Kampala on September 18.
The protesters called for the extradition of Ugandan government critic Fred Lumbuye, who lives in Türkiye.
However, the UPDF statement announcing the suspension did not mention Lumbuye or the PLU protest, and it did not establish a connection between the protest and the decision to suspend military cooperation.
No further details about the defence issues between Uganda and Türkiye were provided in the statement.