Reports circulating from Türkiye claim that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to meet Ugandan blogger and political commentator Fred Lumbuye in Ankara amid growing tensions between Uganda and Türkiye.

According to the report, the alleged meeting would take place at the Presidential Complex, the Turkish president’s administrative headquarters in Ankara. However, this reported meeting has not been independently confirmed in the official Turkish or Ugandan statements reviewed.

The reported development comes after tensions between Kampala and Ankara intensified over Lumbuye, who has lived in Türkiye for several years and remains wanted by Ugandan authorities over a number of criminal allegations.

Ugandan authorities have previously said Lumbuye faces 15 case files involving allegations including incitement to violence, spreading false information and computer-related offences. These are allegations, and their existence does not by itself establish guilt.

The dispute became more visible on September 18, when supporters of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) marched to the Turkish Embassy in Kampala demanding that Türkiye hand over Lumbuye to Uganda.

The demonstration was led by PLU Secretary General Fadil Twalla following a directive from Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

The situation escalated further on September 19 when the Uganda People’s Defence Forces announced the immediate suspension of all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye.

The UPDF said the suspension would remain in place until outstanding issues concerning mutual defence and military cooperation between the two countries are resolved.

Importantly, the UPDF statement did not specifically name Lumbuye as the reason for suspending military cooperation.

Other reports have connected the decision to the broader dispute over Lumbuye, while some reporting has pointed to wider disagreements between Kampala and Ankara, including issues surrounding Somalia.

The Turkish position on Lumbuye has also featured in the growing diplomatic disagreement.

Earlier reporting has noted that Turkish authorities have previously maintained that people on Turkish territory are entitled to applicable legal protections, while the Ugandan side has continued demanding that Lumbuye return to face the allegations against him.

The alleged Erdoğan meeting, if confirmed, would therefore come at a particularly sensitive moment in Uganda-Türkiye relations. It would add another major development to a dispute that has already involved demonstrations, public statements and the suspension of military cooperation.

For now, the reported meeting between Erdoğan and Lumbuye should be treated as unconfirmed until an official statement or reliable independent report confirms it.

What is confirmed is that the dispute over Lumbuye has become part of a much wider period of tension between Kampala and Ankara.