Hundreds of supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) marched to the Turkish Embassy in Kampala yesterday, demanding that Turkish authorities hand over Ugandan political blogger Fred Kajubi Lumbuye to face charges in Uganda.
The demonstration, led by PLU Secretary General Fadil Twalla, came at a time President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was holding discussions with Türkiye’s Ambassador to Uganda, Mehmet Fatih Ak, on matters of bilateral interest.
The two developments placed Uganda-Türkiye relations under an unusual spotlight, with PLU supporters taking their grievances to the diplomatic mission while the President engaged the Turkish envoy on official relations.
Muhoozi Orders ‘Full Force’ Protest
The PLU demonstration was ordered by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the PLU chairman and Chief of Defence Forces, who had directed the movement to stage a “full force” demonstration at the Turkish Embassy on September 18.
Twalla was tasked with mobilising PLU structures and supporters for the protest. According to the PLU, the demonstration was centred on Lumbuye, a Ugandan government critic who has lived in Türkiye for several years.
Twalla told journalists after the demonstration that the protesters wanted Turkish authorities to extradite Lumbuye to Uganda.
“Today, as instructed by our chairman, we held a successful and peaceful demonstration at the Turkish embassy,” Twalla said.
He said the protesters had asked Türkiye to hand over Lumbuye if it wanted to maintain good relations with Uganda.
“We asked them to extradite Lumbuye as soon as possible if they truly value our bilateral relations with them and respect our sovereignty,” he said.
PLU Raises Lumbuye Case
Ugandan authorities have previously accused Lumbuye of offences including harmful propaganda, incitement and cyber-related crimes.
His supporters and other critics of the Government have, however, continued to portray the matter as part of a wider political dispute.
The legal and diplomatic status of Lumbuye in Türkiye remained an important part of the disagreement surrounding the demonstration.
The PLU has accused Türkiye of allowing its territory to be used by people it regards as hostile to Uganda’s leadership.
Twalla said the protesters were not demonstrating against Turkish people but were raising concerns they considered important to Uganda’s sovereignty and national interests.
Mobilisation Begins In Naguru
The demonstration had been planned for several days. On September 10, the PLU announced that Twalla had convened regional and sub-regional coordinators at the organisation’s National Secretariat in Naguru to prepare for the September 18 action.
The meeting discussed mobilisation, organisation and logistical arrangements for the demonstration, according to the PLU.
Twalla later called upon PLU supporters and well-wishers to assemble at Lugogo Cricket Oval before proceeding to the embassy. He urged participants to keep time and maintain discipline during the procession.
Turkish Embassy Closes
The Turkish Embassy had anticipated the demonstration and announced that its offices would close as a precaution.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the embassy said it would suspend operations because of the planned demonstration near its premises and advised Turkish citizens about the temporary closure.
Police provided security during the protest, which ended without reported major disruption.
Twalla said Turkish embassy officials had indicated that they would respond to the protesters’ concerns.
The embassy had not issued a public response to the protesters’ demands by the time of reporting.
Twalla Threatens Fresh Action
The PLU secretary general warned that the movement could organise another demonstration if it did not receive a satisfactory response.
The confrontation between the PLU and Türkiye has been building for months. Gen Muhoozi has repeatedly criticised Turkish authorities over their handling of Lumbuye’s case and other issues involving Uganda’s relations with Türkiye.
The dispute has also extended beyond Lumbuye, with disagreements reported over Türkiye’s role and interests in the region, Uganda’s military involvement in Somalia and other areas of bilateral cooperation.
Museveni Meets Turkish Envoy
Yet, as PLU supporters were marching to the Turkish Embassy in Kampala, President Museveni was engaging the Turkish ambassador in an official meeting.
Museveni met Ambassador Mehmet Fatih Ak on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kampala Storage Terminal in Mpigi District. The meeting focused on bilateral matters between Uganda and Türkiye.
The meeting was consistent with earlier engagements between Museveni and Ambassador Ak.
In July, Museveni met the Turkish envoy at his Kisozi Farm in Gomba District, where they discussed the longstanding bilateral relationship and ways of strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
Uganda-Türkiye Ties
Ambassador Ak has served as Türkiye’s envoy to Uganda since 2023. The Turkish Embassy says its diplomatic mission covers political, military, trade and cultural relations between the two countries.
The President’s meeting with Ak came against the background of a broader relationship that has included Turkish involvement in Ugandan infrastructure, construction, trade and other sectors.
The timing of the meeting also highlighted the distinction between official state-to-state relations and the activities of PLU, a political organisation chaired by Gen Muhoozi.
$310m Storage Terminal
The Kampala Storage Terminal, which provided the venue for Museveni’s meeting with the ambassador, is itself a major infrastructure project involving international commercial interests.
The $310m facility being developed by the Uganda National Oil Company will have capacity to store up to 320 million litres of refined petroleum products.
The terminal, located at Namwabula in Mpigi District, is expected to increase Uganda’s strategic petroleum storage capacity and cushion the country against disruptions in fuel supply.
Diplomacy And Political Pressure
The contrast between the two events has raised attention to how Uganda’s domestic political mobilisation can intersect with diplomatic relations.
While PLU leaders are demanding action against Lumbuye, the Government continues to engage Türkiye through established diplomatic channels.
The Turkish Embassy has not publicly indicated that the PLU demonstration has altered its diplomatic engagement with the Ugandan Government.
Lumbuye Row Remains
The immediate issue for the protesters, however, remains Lumbuye.
Twalla said the PLU considered the blogger’s continued presence in Türkiye unacceptable and called upon Ankara to return him to Uganda.
The PLU also opposed reports that Lumbuye had sought asylum in Türkiye, arguing that such an application should not prevent Ugandan authorities from pursuing the charges they have raised against him.
For the movement, the demonstration was therefore presented as a question of national sovereignty and accountability.
For Türkiye, the matter involves a Ugandan national residing on Turkish territory and the country’s own legal and diplomatic processes.
What Next?
The outcome of the protest will depend partly on how Turkish authorities respond to the demands delivered by the PLU.
The embassy had closed its premises for the day, while President Museveni’s engagement with Ambassador Ak provided a separate channel through which Uganda-Türkiye relations continued at government level.
The events therefore placed two different approaches to the same bilateral relationship side by side — PLU supporters taking their grievances to the Turkish mission and the Ugandan President maintaining direct diplomatic engagement with Türkiye’s representative.
For now, the Lumbuye dispute remains unresolved, while the two countries continue their formal bilateral engagements.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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