A social media post published on September 21, 2026, by X user Judith Serene claimed that the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had published a diplomatic communique addressing threats by Uganda's General Muhoozi Kainerugaba against Türkiye. The post was published by an X account based in Uganda and connected to X via Uganda's Android App. Judith Serene's bio describes her as a "concerned citizen," "Activist," and "wellness advocate."
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba is the chief of the Ugandan army and son of President Yoweri Museveni. He is known for his vocal presence on social media, especially on X. Muhoozi has made several controversial posts, including one where he claimed he could easily take Nairobi with his army, and another where he accused the US embassy of helping Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, escape from Uganda after the January elections.
On September 9, 2026, Muhoozi asked Turkish nationals to leave Uganda through his social media accounts. This move was in response to Turkey harbouring a Ugandan blogger, Fred Lumbuye, who has been critical of Museveni's regime. Fred describes himself as "Uganda's most followed activist who gives liberation information to the people of Uganda" and has indicated that he is a Bobi Wine supporter.
On September 18, people affiliated with the Patriotic League of Uganda, a group supported by Muhoozi, protested at the Turkish embassy in Uganda demanding the extradition of Fred Lumbuye. A day later, a spokesperson for the Ugandan army posted a statement on X announcing that the army had decided to suspend all defense and military cooperation with Türkiye until "outstanding issues of mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved."
Earlier, on April 11, Muhoozi had demanded $1 billion from Turkey, citing the role of the Ugandan army in stabilizing Somalia, where Turkey has various interests. He also asked to marry the most beautiful woman in Turkey, although these posts were later deleted. The dispute between Muhoozi and Turkey has been escalating, with both sides taking to social media to express their grievances.
A close examination of the purported communique by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs raises several red flags. The language in the document is personal and insulting, with the use of phrases like "narcissistic crimes against humanity." The document also contains basic spelling and grammar errors, such as "Turkiye" instead of "Türkiye" and "reign" instead of "rein."
Verification of the communique's authenticity was done through official sources, including the X account of the Turkish Embassy in Uganda and the official website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both sources confirmed that the communique was fake, and there was no record of such a statement being issued on September 21 or any other date.
Key points
- The communique allegedly issued by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs denouncing Muhoozi's conduct is fake.
