It is 19 days since the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced the suspension of all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye, but neither country has publicly provided further details about the dispute or announced diplomatic efforts to resolve it. The suspension was announced on September 19 by Acting Director of Defence Public Information Col. Chris Magezi, who said the measure would remain in force until outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation were resolved.
Since then, there has been no further official communication from the UPDF detailing the issues behind the decision or indicating when military cooperation could resume. However, international relations and security experts warn that a prolonged freeze could affect not only defence cooperation but also military training, intelligence sharing, technology transfer and growing business ties between Uganda and Türkiye.
Mahir Balunywa, a political and security analyst at the Centre for Critical Thinking and Alternative Analysis, says Uganda could suffer significant consequences from the suspension, given Türkiye’s growing global military, political and economic influence. “By all standards, Türkiye is far more powerful than Uganda. By suspending military and defence relations, which ultimately is going to start affecting economic investments, the greater loss is likely to be felt by Uganda,” Balunywa says.
Balunywa links the deterioration in relations to several developments, including a recent demonstration by Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) members led by Secretary General Fadil Twalla at the Turkish Embassy in Kololo. He also points to Türkiye’s military and economic interests in Somalia, where Uganda has deployed troops for close to two decades under African Union-led peace operations.
Balunywa argues that Türkiye could be part of what he describes as a NATO-orchestrated effort to edge Uganda out of Somalia, which he links to Uganda’s growing engagement with BRICS. However, there is no public evidence from either Uganda, Türkiye or NATO confirming such an operation, and the UPDF has not cited NATO or BRICS as reasons for the suspension.
Security expert Fred Egesa says the relationship between Kampala and Ankara had deteriorated even before the current dispute over Somalia funding. He cites Türkiye’s refusal to extradite Ugandan blogger Fred Kajubi Lumbuye, who is wanted in Uganda over allegations including incitement and computer misuse.
“Gen. Muhoozi says that if you’re my friend, why do you allow someone to come to your ground and start antagonizing our head of state? If you’re my friend and your son throws stones at me, and you say don’t touch him, it means that you’re the one telling him to do what he is doing,” Egesa says.
Information obtained by our reporter indicates that the two countries reportedly fell out after Türkiye, which had agreed to help finance part of the cost of Ugandan soldiers deployed under African Union missions in Somalia, questioned a payment list submitted by the UPDF. The list was reportedly higher than what had been agreed upon, after which Türkiye stopped the funding.
The dispute came as Uganda continued to carry a significant military burden in Somalia, where its troops have been deployed under African Union missions for nearly 20 years. Following the funding freeze, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba reportedly threatened in April to withdraw Ugandan troops from Somalia and publicly demanded that Türkiye pay Uganda $1 billion for keeping Somalia stable before deleting the posts. The UPDF, however, has not publicly stated that the Somalia funding dispute was the reason for suspending military cooperation with Türkiye.
Ahmed Hadji, an international relations expert and senior member of the Centre for Policy and Strategic Studies (CPSS Africa), says the relationship between Uganda and Türkiye had developed from diplomatic engagement into what he describes as a strategic military alliance between 2016 and 2026. Hadji is the author of The Ankara-Kampala Accord: Türkiye-Uganda Strategic Relations 2016-2026.
He says Uganda preferred Türkiye as a defence partner partly because, unlike some Western countries, Türkiye provides military equipment and training with fewer political conditions. The cooperation has included armoured vehicles such as the BMC Kirpi and Katmerciler Hızır, drones for border surveillance and modern communication equipment.
Training programmes have covered counter-terrorism, urban warfare, drone operations, detection of roadside bombs and medical evacuation, including training at centres such as the Oliver Tambo Leadership School. Hadji says the military training and equipment have contributed to Uganda’s ability to remain one of the biggest troop-contributing countries to African Union missions in Somalia.
He warns that the suspension could also affect trade between the two countries, which his research shows had grown to more than $152 million by mid-2026. “By establishing robust industrial parks, advancing agro-processing and diversifying trade portfolios, both nations have successfully unlocked new economic frontiers. Crucially, this economic momentum is protected by a solid defense and security alliance,” Hadji says.
The military dispute comes against the backdrop of growing Turkish investment in Uganda. Turkish companies are involved in several major projects, including the $2.2 billion eastern line of the Standard Gauge Railway by Yapı Merkezi and the $129 million Hoima City Stadium built by SUMMA.
Egesa says both countries could lose business if they fail to resolve the dispute diplomatically. He says Türkiye has also been using Uganda as an entry point into the wider Great Lakes market, making the relationship important beyond defence and security. For now, however, the details of the outstanding issues remain unclear.
With no further official communication since Col. Chris Magezi announced the suspension on September 19, questions remain over what triggered the decision, how far the freeze extends, and whether Kampala and Ankara are engaged in efforts to restore their military relationship-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
