Thousands of supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) on Friday peacefully marched from Lugogo Cricket Oval to the Turkish Embassy in Kololo, to delivered a formal protest letter demanding that Turkey hand over National Unity Platform’s blogger and government critic Fred Kajubi Lumbuye.
The demonstration, led by PLU Secretary General Twaala Fadil and other senior leaders, proceeded without the disorder that had been feared ahead of the protest, with security personnel escorting the procession from Lugogo to the diplomatic mission.
The huge crowd, drawn from different parts of the country, turned up in yellow, red, and black T-shirts, bearing photos of PLU chairman and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as the movement sought to demonstrate its support for its chairman and press Turkey over Lumbuye’s continued stay in the country, from where he allegedly belittles the first son through social media.
The marchers reached the Turkish Embassy at approximately 11:20am, where only a small delegation led by Twaala was allowed into the mission to deliver the PLU’s letter of dissatisfaction.
Inside the embassy, the document was received by Turkish officials, according to people familiar with the engagement, and the PLU delegation was promised that the concerns contained in the letter would be considered and a response communicated soon.
The successful delivery of the letter marked the culmination of a mobilization that had been ordered by Gen Muhoozi, after months of public disagreement with Ankara over Lumbuye and other issues concerning Turkish interests in Uganda.
Addressing the crowd at Lugogo Cricket Oval before the procession set off, Twaala said PLU had organized the demonstration to express its dissatisfaction with the Turkish government, rather than hostility towards Turkish citizens.
“We have gathered here today not as enemies of Turkish people, but as patriots of Uganda who are deeply disappointed,” Twaala said, further accusing Turkey of failing to honour requests by Ugandan authorities for Lumbuye to be returned to Uganda to answer criminal allegations relating to what Ugandan authorities have described as harmful propaganda, incitement and cybercrime.
Twaala said PLU was particularly concerned that Lumbuye had continued using his platform from Turkey to attack Uganda’s leadership and what he described as the country’s unity.
“At the center of the current diplomatic row is this very demand for extradition, which Turkey has not honoured,” he said.
Lumbuye has for years been one of Uganda’s most prominent and controversial political commentators on social media, building a substantial following through broadcasts and commentary sharply critical of President Museveni’s government.
His prominence increased significantly during the political tensions surrounding the 2021 general elections, when his online broadcasts attracted large audiences among opposition supporters.
Ugandan authorities have accused him of spreading false or harmful information, incitement and cyber-related offences. He became particularly controversial after claims circulated online that President Museveni had died while receiving treatment abroad.
Authorities also linked him to other contentious reports concerning senior political and cultural figures.
Lumbuye was arrested in Turkey in 2021 in circumstances that triggered a diplomatic and political dispute over whether he should be deported to Uganda. Turkish authorities detained him over immigration-related matters, while lawyers, (including NUP’s Muwada Nkunyingi) representing him challenged his deportation.
He was eventually released, but his status and the outstanding Ugandan allegations have remained at the center of the dispute between Kampala and Ankara.
For PLU, the issue has now become a matter of loyalty to its chairman.
“When you annoy our chairman, you annoy all of us and you annoy our country,” Twaala told the crowd at Lugogo.
He said Uganda and Turkey had enjoyed longstanding relations, arguing that Ankara should reciprocate the cooperation Uganda has extended to Turkish nationals, businesses and investments.
“Uganda and Turkey have been friends for long, and Uganda has hosted Turkish investments, contracts, and nationals with open arms. We expect the same friendship would be reciprocal,” he said.
Twaala also rejected the argument that Lumbuye should be shielded from return to Uganda under international refugee protections, arguing that Lumbuye went to Turkey to look for survival in terms of work, not as refugee.
“We understand the UN Convention on Refugees, but I want to tell you that Lumbuye is not a refugee,” he said.
He maintained that Lumbuye had gone to Turkey in search of employment and survival and should therefore return to Uganda to face the allegations against him.
The PLU SG further warned that the movement would not allow Ugandans living abroad to use social media platforms to destabilize the country, while insisting that Friday’s procession was intended to remain peaceful.
Twaala credited the police and other security agencies for facilitating the demonstration and repeatedly urged supporters to maintain discipline.
“The team that we have here is under our command and they are peaceful people. We are going to move there peacefully,” he said.
The large turnout also provided a major show of PLU’s mobilization capacity, with supporters travelling from across the country to Kampala for the demonstration.
The protest had been announced by Gen Muhoozi earlier this month, with Twaala appointed to coordinate the mobilization. PLU itself had subsequently urged its regional and sub-regional structures to mobilize supporters for the September 18 action.
The Turkish Embassy had announced on Thursday that it would close its offices on Friday because of the planned demonstration. However, the closure did not prevent the PLU leadership and supporters from reaching the mission or delivering its formal complaint. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
