Uganda Accuses German Ambassador of Subversion

By Staff, Agencies

Uganda's military has severed all defense cooperation with Germany, accusing the German ambassador to Kampala of engaging in "subversive activities" inside the East African nation.

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) announced the decision on Sunday, citing what it described as credible intelligence implicating Ambassador Mathias Schauer.

“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 the X platform.

He added that the move came in response to intelligence indicating Schauer was "actively engaged in subversive activities in the country.”

Magezi did not provide specific details on the nature of the allegations or on the scope of existing military cooperation between Uganda and Germany.

As of publication time, Germany’s embassy in Kampala had not responded to a Reuters request for comment.

The decision to end UPDF-German cooperation comes amid growing friction between Uganda and the European Union.

Uganda currently deploys troops to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which receives partial funding from the EU, including Germany.

The impact of the UPDF’s decision on broader EU-supported operations remains unclear.

Earlier this month, Kainerugaba issued a warning to the EU, saying it was “playing with fire” after a delegation of European ambassadors held a meeting with Uganda’s main opposition party, the National Unity Platform, and its leader Bobi Wine.

The meeting angered the Ugandan government, which has grown increasingly wary of perceived foreign interference.