Uganda’s army has suspended all military cooperation with Germany, accusing Ambassador Matthias Schauer of involvement in “subversive activities” and being “wholly unqualified” to be in the country.
The army claims to have credible intelligence reports supporting its allegations, but provides no evidence.
Germany’s foreign ministry has rejected the accusations as “absurd and without merit”.
The controversy follows Schauer’s reported concerns about army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s controversial tweets, including threats to behead opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, and boasts about torturing Wine’s bodyguard.
Schauer reportedly raised these concerns at a meeting with Gen Salim Saleh, the chief coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, and other European Union diplomats.
Gen Kainerugaba, who is the son of President Yoweri Museveni, responded with a post on social media, saying he had issues with Schauer as a person and that he was unqualified to be in Uganda.
The army’s decision to suspend military cooperation with Germany signals a sharp deterioration in relations between the two nations.
The move has raised concerns about the impact on bilateral trade and cooperation between Uganda and Germany, which was worth around $335m in 2024.
Uganda’s involvement in peacekeeping operations, including in Somalia, may also be affected by the suspension of military cooperation with Germany.
