Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has moved quickly to calm diplomatic tensions after reversing an earlier position that had shaken relations between Kampala and Washington.

The dramatic reversal on Friday, January 30, 2026, came barely an hour after he had announced a suspension of military cooperation with the United States, including Uganda’s role in Somalia. The statement was addressed to Ugandans, the US government, and the wider international community.

The episode unfolded in Kampala on Wednesday, drawing attention because of Muhoozi’s dual position as army chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni. His initial comments had raised concerns about Uganda’s long-standing security partnership with the United States.

In a follow-up message issued shortly after the earlier announcement, Muhoozi sought to explain his change of position and reassure both Ugandans and international partners that relations remained intact.

He said his earlier remarks were based on incorrect information and confirmed that direct engagement with the US Embassy had helped resolve the matter.

“I want to apologise to our great friends, the United States, for my earlier tweets that I have now deleted. I was being fed wrong information. I have spoken with the US Ambassador to our country, and everything is okay. We are going to continue our military cooperation as usual,” he wrote.

The clarification effectively restored the status quo, signalling that Uganda’s defence cooperation with the United States would continue uninterrupted. This includes collaboration on training, intelligence sharing, and regional security missions, notably Uganda’s involvement in Somalia, where Ugandan troops have for years been part of international efforts to combat militant groups and stabilise the country.

While the quick reversal helped avert a prolonged diplomatic row, the episode highlighted the sensitivity of Uganda–US relations and the importance of clear communication at the highest levels of government.

Mohoozi suspends all military ties between Uganda and US

Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi, announced the suspension of all military cooperation between the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the United States, including Uganda’s role in security operations in Somalia.

“Fellow Ugandans, because of the present situation where an opposition leader kidnapped himself and is missing, and according to our best intelligence, did all this in coordination with the current administration at the US Embassy in our country. We, as UPDF, suspend all cooperation with the current administration at the US Embassy in Kampala. This includes our work in Somalia,” he wrote.

In a follow-up message, the army chief expanded on his criticism of the US Embassy in Kampala, arguing that the breakdown in cooperation did not happen overnight. He traced the current standoff to what he described as long-running internal challenges within the embassy, despite otherwise strong political relations between Kampala and Washington.