KAMPALA, Uganda — Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief, met Tuesday with German Ambassador Matthias Schauer, signaling a cooling of tensions years after the general publicly threatened the diplomat with expulsion.
The meeting at the Special Forces Command headquarters centered on regional security and bilateral cooperation. It stands in contrast to 2021, when Kainerugaba used social media to label Schauer “clueless” and suggested he should leave the country, accusing him of interfering in Uganda’s domestic politics.
During the talks, Kainerugaba and Schauer discussed shifting the relationship beyond traditional development aid toward more strategic security interests. Schauer, who recently met with President Yoweri Museveni, praised Uganda’s contributions to regional stability.
The engagement reflects a shift in Kainerugaba’s diplomatic approach since becoming chief of defense forces. While the general has a history of provocative social media posts regarding foreign officials, the Tuesday session emphasized “mutual respect” and “constructive engagement” as the primary ways to handle diplomatic disagreements.
Germany remains a significant donor to Uganda, though the relationship has been tested by Western criticism of Uganda’s human rights record and internal political climate.
