Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has declared the suspension of all military cooperation between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the United States. This decision also halts Uganda’s involvement in security operations in Somalia.
In a statement released on X on Friday, January 29, 2026, Muhoozi, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, framed his announcement as a reaction to a significant security and intelligence issue involving an opposition leader. He indicated that this incident has far-reaching implications, affecting Uganda’s relations with international partners.
Muhoozi articulated the rationale behind this drastic measure, linking it to intelligence assessments and alleged external coordination. “Fellow Ugandans, due to the current situation where an opposition leader has reportedly orchestrated his own abduction and is now missing, our intelligence suggests this was done in collaboration with the existing administration at the US Embassy in our country. Therefore, we, as UPDF, will suspend all cooperation with the US Embassy in Kampala, including our operations in Somalia,” he stated.
In subsequent remarks, the army chief elaborated on his criticism of the US Embassy, asserting that the deterioration in cooperation has been a long-standing issue. He attributed the current impasse to persistent internal challenges within the embassy, despite the otherwise robust political relations between Kampala and Washington. “The vital security cooperation between Uganda and the United States has suffered for nearly a decade, primarily due to the actions of unimaginative bureaucrats at the Embassy. This has occurred despite the excellent political ties between our nations,” he noted.
These statements introduce new tensions into Uganda–US relations and cast doubt on the future of collaborative security initiatives, particularly in Somalia, where Uganda has consistently contributed troops. The duration of this suspension remains uncertain, as does the potential for diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation.
