Kampala, Uganda – Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has immediately suspended all military and defence cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany, citing serious allegations against German Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Mathias Schauer.
The bombshell announcement, made via an official press statement dated May 26, 2025, comes amid what Ugandan military officials describe as credible intelligence implicating the Ambassador in subversive activities targeting Uganda’s internal security.
“The decision is in response to credible intelligence reports that the current German Ambassador… is actively engaged in subversive activities in the country,” reads the UPDF’s statement signed by Colonel Chris Magezi, Acting Director of Defence Public Information.
This rare diplomatic move means that all joint military programs, trainings, exchanges, intelligence coordination, and bilateral defence projects between Uganda and Germany have been halted until further notice.
The UPDF-Germany defence relationship, once a quiet but strategic alliance, has played a significant role in military training, peacekeeping support, and logistics cooperation over the years. The suspension signals a major breakdown in trust between the two governments and could have ripple effects across regional security circles.
According to the UPDF statement, the German envoy, Ambassador Mathias Schauer, is accused of collaborating with what are described as “hostile pseudo-political-military forces” operating in Uganda.
“The suspension will remain in force until the full resolution of the matter of the Ambassador’s involvement,” the statement concludes.
While details remain scarce, the gravity of the language points to an unprecedented collapse in diplomatic etiquette and likely indicates a deep rift behind closed doors.
H.E. Mathias Schauer has served as Germany’s top diplomat in Uganda during a tense political era marked by increased international scrutiny of Uganda’s human rights record, press freedom concerns, and contested political reforms.
He has also been a vocal supporter of development cooperation, including through Germany’s contributions to education, renewable energy, and governance programs in Uganda.
This latest move by UPDF adds to growing signs that Uganda is recalibrating its foreign policy alliances in the face of Western criticism, especially on governance and democracy.
It follows recent tensions between Kampala and the European Union, and comes just weeks after President Museveni called out unnamed foreign actors for meddling in African sovereignty under the guise of cooperation.
Some analysts believe this marks a pivot towards more assertive foreign policy stances as Uganda seeks greater independence in military partnerships, especially with the rise of new global players such as Russia, China, and Turkey in African military cooperation.
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