Faith Nyasuguta
Uganda has suspended all military and defence cooperation with Germany, accusing Berlin’s top diplomat in Kampala of engaging in subversive activities aimed at undermining the country’s stability.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced the decision on Sunday, May 25, following what it called “credible intelligence” linking German Ambassador Mathias Schauer to destabilisation efforts involving covert support to hostile political and military actors within Uganda.
In a statement issued by Colonel Chris Magezi, Acting Director of Defence Public Information, the UPDF said the suspension would remain in place until the matter is fully investigated and resolved.
“This suspension will remain in force until the full resolution of the matter of the ambassador’s involvement with hostile pseudo political-military forces operating in the country against the Ugandan government,” Magezi stated.
The move puts a pause on Germany’s long standing defence collaboration with Uganda, which has focused on military training, crisis response, strategic planning, and medical support. Germany has also supported Uganda’s role in regional security efforts, notably through the African Union Mission in Somalia.
The suspension adds new tensions to already strained relations between Kampala and some Western diplomatic missions. Last week, Ugandan security authorities publicly accused Ambassador Schauer of violating diplomatic norms and acting in ways inconsistent with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
According to the UPDF, several individuals with ties to emerging rebel networks were arrested in recent months for planning sabotage and attacks on public infrastructure, particularly in Uganda’s central region. These groups reportedly targeted the national power grid and were allegedly linked to the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP).
The military claimed that operations had uncovered rebel cells in key districts including Wakiso, Mukono, Luweero, Kayunga, Mpigi, Nakasongola, and Masaka. Some suspects have been charged in court and are awaiting trial.
However, what has sparked the most controversy is the direct accusation against the German ambassador. “We are particularly concerned about the illegal and clandestine activities of the German Ambassador in Uganda,” said Col Magezi, adding that the diplomat’s actions “seriously contravene” international protocols governing diplomatic conduct.
While the UPDF has yet to present concrete evidence to back the allegations, officials say the matter is being pursued through diplomatic channels. The government has also warned of increased efforts by foreign-backed groups to radicalise urban youth, especially in informal settlements around Kampala.
Col Magezi urged the public to remain vigilant and to reject efforts by what he termed “foreign-supported subversive forces” seeking to destabilise the country. He encouraged young Ugandans to instead engage with government-led development programmes.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, dismissed the government’s claims as politically motivated. In a statement released Sunday, the NUP leader alleged that the accusations against Ambassador Schauer were retaliatory and meant to distract from Uganda’s worsening human rights situation.
He pointed to a recent meeting in Gulu between European Union envoys and General Salim Saleh, where Ambassador Schauer and others reportedly expressed concern over threatening posts made by President Museveni’s son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
“Just hours after that meeting, the regime has retaliated by ridiculously accusing Ambassador Schauer of sponsoring rebel groups,” Kyagulanyi said. He described the government’s narrative as part of a “familiar script” used to suppress dissent and criminalise opposition politics.
“It is the same script the regime uses to justify abductions, torture, and disappearances by falsely branding our comrades as rebels,” he said. “But Ugandans will not be silenced. We shall continue to fight for a democratic and just society.”
The German Embassy in Kampala has yet to issue a formal response, and there has been no public comment from the European Union or other Western missions cited in Kyagulanyi’s remarks.
Uganda’s decision comes just a year before the 2026 general elections, a period historically marked by heightened security crackdowns and allegations of rebellion against opposition actors. Critics argue that the regime often uses the spectre of foreign interference and armed rebellion to justify repressive tactics.
This time, however, the government’s public naming of a sitting European ambassador marks a new level of escalation, one that is likely to draw sharp international attention and potentially strain ties with Berlin.
Colonel Magezi reiterated that Uganda will not tolerate any form of foreign interference. “The UPDF and Inter-Agency Security Committee strongly condemn meddling in our internal affairs,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), a group aligned with General Muhoozi and loosely affiliated with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), has called for a “peaceful but energetic” demonstration at the German Embassy on June 5.
Led by Muhoozi,who has signalled presidential ambitions, PLU claims it will rally Ugandans to protest against what it sees as foreign attempts to destabilise the country and influence its political future.
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