In a dramatic turn of diplomatic events, Uganda has suspended all military cooperation with Germany, accusing German ambassador Mathias Schauer of engaging in “subversive activities” and labeling him “wholly unqualified” to serve in the country.
The announcement, delivered by Uganda’s military spokesperson Col Chris Magezi, has sent ripples through diplomatic circles, signaling a sharp fracture in a long-standing relationship between the East African nation and one of Europe’s most influential powers. The army claims it received what it called “credible intelligence” linking Ambassador Schauer to political and military groups allegedly working to destabilize the Ugandan government. However, officials provided no evidence to support the explosive allegation.
Germany’s Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the claims, dismissing them as “absurd and without any merit,” according to a Reuters report. The German government has so far refrained from escalating the row publicly, but behind closed doors, diplomatic conversations are said to be ongoing.
The tensions appear to be rooted in a recent private meeting involving Schauer and other European Union diplomats, where Uganda’s controversial first son and army chief, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, came under scrutiny. Local reports suggest the ambassador questioned the damage Gen Kainerugaba’s behavior online could be doing to Uganda’s image abroad.
Just days earlier, Gen Kainerugaba had made alarming threats on X (formerly Twitter), including a vow to behead opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, widely known as Bobi Wine. He also boasted of having tortured Wine’s bodyguard during detention—a statement that raised red flags among rights groups already accusing the Ugandan state of systematically targeting opposition figures, especially ahead of elections.
Wine, a former pop star turned politician, is expected to challenge President Yoweri Museveni in next year’s general election. Museveni has ruled Uganda for nearly 40 years, and critics often point to a growing political dynasty. His wife, Janet Museveni, serves as education minister, while his brother, Gen Salim Saleh, heads a key state-run development initiative.
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In what many observers see as an attempt to contain international criticism, Gen Kainerugaba responded to the ambassador’s concerns with a scathing online post. “I’m having issues with the German ambassador that has to do with him as a person,” the general wrote, adding, “He is wholly unqualified to be in Uganda. It has nothing to do with the great German people, whom I admire a lot.”
The military’s decision to sever defence ties was accompanied by an ambiguous statement that the suspension would last “until the full resolution of the matter of the Ambassador’s involvement with pseudo political-military forces operating in the country.”
As of now, no concrete examples of these alleged “forces” have been shared publicly.
Germany’s embassy in Kampala, while silent on the military spat, continues to highlight its broader engagement with Uganda, citing bilateral trade worth approximately $335 million in 2024. The embassy maintains that relations have traditionally been grounded in “stability and trust.”
Germany has supported Uganda’s role in international peacekeeping missions, particularly in Somalia, where Ugandan troops are part of a regional effort to combat armed Islamist insurgents. It’s unclear how the diplomatic fallout will affect those operations moving forward.
For now, the situation remains tense, with the Ugandan government doubling down on its accusations and Germany pushing back firmly. Whether this is a passing storm or the beginning of a longer diplomatic freeze remains to be seen.
