The Turkish Embassy in Kampala has closed its offices on Friday, September 18, 2026, following a planned demonstration by supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) over Turkey’s continued hosting of Ugandan blogger and government critic Fred Kajubi Lumbuye.
The embassy announced the temporary closure on Thursday, September 17, citing a protest demonstration expected to take place near its premises on Prince Charles Drive in Kololo.
The notice advised Turkish citizens about the closure but did not provide details about additional security measures.
The protesters, carrying placards and banners, are marching towards the Turkish Embassy in Kololo, following a directive by PLU chairman Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Some of the placards carried by the protesters read, “You annoy Gen Muhoozi, you annoy us all,” as the demonstrators chanted and waved PLU banners during the march.
The protesters are demanding that Turkish authorities address Uganda’s concerns over Lumbuye, whom PLU accuses of using social media to spread false information and make allegations against the Ugandan government and its officials.
The demonstration is being led by PLU Secretary General and MP Fadil Twalla, who was appointed by Gen. Muhoozi to coordinate the mobilisation.
The protesters are marching through Kampala as security personnel monitor the demonstration, with organisers calling for a disciplined and peaceful action.
The closure comes after PLU Chairman and Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba directed the organisation to stage what he described as a “full-force” demonstration at the Turkish Embassy.
In posts on X on September 9, Gen. Muhoozi named PLU General Secretary Fadil Twalla, who is also a Member of Parliament, to coordinate the mobilisation.
“We are demonstrating in full force at the Turkish Embassy on the 18th of September. Hon. Fadhil is in charge of this demonstration,” Gen. Muhoozi posted.
He subsequently said his directive would not be changed and warned against what he described as Turkish agents opposing the planned action. He also said he had “severed” anything to do with Turkish interests in Uganda and called on Turkish nationals to leave the country. The posts were later reported to have been deleted.
However, there has been no indication that the statements amounted to a formal government order expelling Turkish nationals from Uganda. Uganda and Türkiye continue to maintain diplomatic relations.
The PLU has been preparing for the demonstration for more than a week. On September 10, the organisation held a strategic planning meeting at its national secretariat in Naguru, bringing together regional and sub-regional coordinators to organise mobilisation and logistics for the Kampala action.
According to PLU, the meeting was aimed at ensuring a coordinated and disciplined turnout from its structures across the country.
The dispute has largely centred on Lumbuye, who has been based in Türkiye and has used social media to criticise the Ugandan government.
Ugandan authorities have previously sought his return to Uganda. The issue resurfaced strongly in 2026 after Gen. Muhoozi repeatedly demanded that Türkiye hand over Lumbuye.
In August, PLU figures said Turkey had been given sufficient time to produce Lumbuye, with PLU mobiliser Daudi Kabanda saying the organisation would demonstrate over what he described as Turkey’s refusal to hand him over.
Gen. Muhoozi initially called for a major demonstration at the Turkish Embassy on September 1. That action did not proceed as initially announced. Al Jazeera reported that the planned September 1 demonstration was called off after Muhoozi indicated that discussions had taken place with the Turkish side. A fresh demonstration was subsequently announced for September 18.
The Lumbuye issue is not the only source of friction between Gen. Muhoozi and Türkiye.
Earlier this year, the CDF demanded what he described as a financial “security dividend” from Türkiye, linking the demand to Uganda’s military contribution to the African Union mission in Somalia and the fight against Al-Shabaab.
The dispute also spilled into Uganda’s infrastructure sector after Gen. Muhoozi announced the cancellation of the €2.7 billion Standard Gauge Railway project that had been awarded to Turkish construction company Yapı Merkezi.
The announcement represented a major change from Uganda’s earlier engagement with the company. In December 2025, Gen. Muhoozi had hosted a delegation from Yapı Merkezi at the Special Forces Command headquarters in Entebbe.
Despite the increasingly public exchanges, Uganda and Türkiye have not formally severed diplomatic relations.
The September 18 embassy closure has therefore been presented as a precautionary measure in response to the planned protest rather than as a diplomatic break.
The latest confrontation also comes as PLU is intensifying its nationwide mobilisation around Gen. Muhoozi’s declared intention to contest for president in 2031.
PLU launched a national endorsement campaign for Muhoozi earlier this month, with the organisation distributing endorsement books and mobilising supporters across the country.
The Turkish Embassy protest therefore comes against the wider backdrop of PLU’s expanding political mobilisation, although the stated immediate grievance behind the demonstration is Türkiye’s handling of Lumbuye and other issues raised by Gen. Muhoozi.
