Turkish embassy announces closure over planned PLU protest

The Turkish Embassy in Kampala has announced that it will close on September 18, 2026, as supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) prepare to protest near its premises.

The embassy issued the notice on September 17 and advised Turkish citizens that it would suspend operations because of the planned demonstration.

“Due to the protest demonstration planned to take place near our embassy, our embassy will be closed tomorrow (September 18, 2026),” the notice, written in Turkish, reads.

PLU general secretary Twalla Fadil confirmed the protest on September 13. He accused Türkiye of interfering with Uganda’s sovereignty and warned that PLU would not ignore actions that anger its chairman, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

“September 18, 2026, our stop will be at the Turkish Embassy. Playing around with the sovereignty of our country will not be taken lightly,” Fadil wrote.

“If you annoy our chairman, @mkainerugaba, the greatest CDF in the world, you annoy the entire PLU. It’s a date.”

Gen Kainerugaba, who is also Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, ordered the demonstration on September 9. He placed Fadil in charge of the mobilisation and asked PLU supporters to turn up in large numbers.

The planned protest follows months of public attacks by Gen Kainerugaba against Türkiye. He has accused Ankara of failing to recognise Uganda’s military contribution to peacekeeping operations in Somalia.

The dispute has also centred on Fred Lumbuye, a Ugandan government critic based in Türkiye. Gen Kainerugaba has demanded his return to Uganda.