Germany has strongly rebuffed accusations from Uganda that its ambassador in Kampala engaged in “subversive activities,” with a German foreign ministry spokesperson on Monday branding the claims as “absurd and without any merit.” This denunciation came swiftly after Uganda’s military announced the immediate suspension of all defence and military cooperation with Germany.
The Ugandan military declared on Sunday that its decision to cut these ties stemmed from “credible intelligence reports.” These reports allegedly pointed to the German Ambassador to Uganda, Mathias Schauer, being actively involved in undermining activities within the country, according to the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesperson, Chris Magezi.
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Berlin Questions Accusations, Denies Formal Military Links
In response, German Federal Foreign Office spokesperson Kathrin Deschauer stated at a press conference in Berlin that Germany had no “formalised military cooperation” with Uganda. She added that Berlin was “not aware of any background or context that could explain such allegations,” which the German government considers “baseless” and has rejected “in the strongest terms.” The German government has reiterated its view that the accusations are absurd.
Magezi of the UPDF confirmed the suspension but offered no further details on the alleged subversive acts or the precise nature of the military cooperation that has now been halted. The German foreign ministry spokesperson also refrained from commenting further on the specifics of Uganda’s accusations.
While Germany asserts the absence of a formal military partnership, it is a significant contributor to the European Union. The EU provides partial funding for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia—a mission involving Ugandan troops. This development introduces a notable strain on diplomatic relations, particularly given Germany’s firm dismissal of the Ugandan rationale.
Image: The Ugandan parliament building in Kampala.Photographer: Luke Dray/Bloomberg
