Diplomacy Killed : Gen. Muhoozi Orders Illegal Turkish Nationals to Leave Uganda by July 8
KAMPALA, Uganda — In a series of stern directives issued early Sunday, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered all Turkish nationals residing or working illegally in Uganda to vacate the country by July 8, 2026.
The military chief warned that a nationwide crackdown will commence next week, targeting any foreign nationals operating without valid documentation.
“No Pacts Between Lions and Men”
Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Gen. Muhoozi left no room for ambiguity regarding the impending enforcement.
“From next week any Turk without a valid working permit will be arrested! Anywhere in Uganda,” the CDF announced to his 1.3 million followers. He followed the statement with an explicit deadline: “All illegal Turks must be out of Uganda by 8th July.”
When questioned by social media users whether the directive extended to diplomatic staff, Gen. Muhoozi doubled down, replying, “Yes! All of them!” He later added, “There are no pacts between lions and men! All Turks must be outside of our country in 30 days.”
Broad Crackdown or Personal Crusade?
While the sudden focus on Turkish nationals has raised eyebrows among diplomatic circles in Kampala, Gen. Muhoozi framed the directive in deeply personal and spiritual terms, claiming religious inspiration for the policy. “My God Jesus Christ has instructed me to chase the Turkish from His country! That’s what we will do,” he wrote.
The ultimatum comes amidst a broader, fast-moving wave of hardline declarations from the CDF’s office on Sunday morning. Alongside the immigration warnings, Gen. Muhoozi announced the immediate shutdown of major independent media houses NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor, declaring that he “does not believe in a free press” and that future news coverage must be cleared by his office.
Diplomatic Implications
The Turkish Embassy in Kampala has yet to issue an official response to the CDF’s public declarations. Turkey and Uganda have historically shared strong bilateral ties, particularly in commercial trade, infrastructure development, and education.
Local immigration authorities have not yet clarified how the joint security forces intend to execute the sweeping arrest orders starting next week, or whether standard deportation legal procedures will be observed ahead of the July 8 deadline.
