Turkish Media Links Uganda-Türkiye Dispute To Somalia Rift, Questions Lumbuye Protest Narrative

Turkish media has challenged the view that the September 18 protest outside the Türkiye Embassy in Kampala was mainly about Ugandan government critic Fred Lumbuye, instead linking the dispute to Uganda’s military role in Somalia.

In an analysis published by Türkiye Today, journalist and researcher Umut Çağrı Sarı argued that Lumbuye had lived in Türkiye since 2013 without triggering a major diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Sarı suggested that Lumbuye’s case may have become a public focus as Uganda faced concerns over the future of its military deployment in Somalia and the financial benefits associated with the mission.

However, the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), which organised the demonstration, publicly said its main demand was for Türkiye to extradite Lumbuye. PLU Secretary General Fadil Twalla has accused Lumbuye of using Türkiye as a base to attack Ugandan leaders.

Ugandan authorities have accused Lumbuye of offences including incitement, offensive communication and cybercrimes, while Türkiye has not publicly agreed to extradite him.

The dispute escalated a day after the protest when the Uganda People’s Defence Forces announced the suspension of military and defence cooperation with Türkiye. The UPDF said the suspension would remain until outstanding issues between the two countries were resolved.

Sarı, however, connected the disagreement to Türkiye’s growing security and commercial interests in Somalia, where Ankara has trained Somali forces and invested in sectors including infrastructure, energy, ports and aviation.

He argued that Uganda could face significant financial losses if its military deployment in Somalia ends, while Türkiye continues expanding its role in the country’s security and economy.

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has previously criticised Türkiye over its activities in Somalia, arguing that Uganda has made major sacrifices in the fight against al-Shabaab while other countries benefit commercially from the security environment. Muhoozi has demanded what he described as a.To read more, tap herei