Uganda’s military has announced the immediate suspension of all military and defence cooperation with Germany, citing allegations of interference by Berlin’s ambassador in the country’s internal affairs.
“The Uganda People’s Defence Forces has with immediate effect suspended all ongoing defence and military cooperation activities with the Federal Republic of Germany,” said UPDF spokesperson Chris Magezi in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.
According to Magezi, the decision followed “credible intelligence reports that the current German Ambassador to Uganda His Excellency Mathias Schauer is actively engaged in subversive activities in the country.”
The statement did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged subversive activities or provide specific information on the scope of existing military cooperation between the two countries.
Germany’s embassy in Kampala has not yet issued a response to a request for comment from Reuters.
Uganda is currently contributing troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), a regional peacekeeping effort partially funded by the European Union. Germany, as a key EU member state, indirectly supports such initiatives, making the suspension potentially significant for regional operations.
Ugandan military chief General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, in a separate post on X, appeared to personalise the dispute, suggesting the issue lay specifically with Ambassador Schauer himself.
“It has to do with him as a person. He is wholly unqualified to be in Uganda. It has nothing to do with the great German people,” Kainerugaba wrote.
The country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not released an official statement, and its spokesperson was unreachable as her phone remained switched off.
Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni and considered a likely successor, is known for his provocative social media presence, often directing sharp remarks at Western diplomats and foreign entities.
Earlier this month, Kainerugaba criticised the European Union following a meeting between EU ambassadors and officials from Uganda’s largest opposition party, including its leader, musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine, warning that the EU was “playing with fire.”
