Defence Minister Urges Turkish Gov’t to Set Military Hub

The Minister of Defence, Jacob Oboth, has rallied the Turkish government to set up a military weapon manufacturing hub in Uganda. According to Oboth, Turkey should capitalise on Uganda’s strategic position in Africa and set up a military hardware centre similar to those it has in Asia and Europe.

“You can build on the existing agreements between Uganda and Turkey to set up a military manufacturing hub. These agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and defence cooperation pacts in areas such as technology transfer, research, and training emphasise our collaboration,” Oboth said.

Oboth was speaking during a meeting with a Turkish delegation at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MODVA) headquarters, in Mbuya, Nakawa, in Kampala. Some of the agreements between Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and the Turkish military are as recent as 2016.

“This is our hope: that these agreements translate into tangible projects. Partnering with Türkiye in business and cooperation will allow us to build capacity and set trends in the defence industry,” Oboth added.

Maj Gen James Mugira, the Managing Director of National Enterprise Corporation-NEC and Oboth said the collaboration between UPDF and the Turkish military will be facilitated by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the commercial arm of Uganda’s Army.

Turkish Ambassador to Uganda, Mehmet Fatih Ak, expressed his government’s commitment to furthering the partnership, underscoring Uganda's strategic importance. “Uganda is a stable country with a strong army, contributing to regional stability. This collaboration opens new opportunities for both nations,” Fatih said.

Lt Gen Mugira observed that there is a significant shift in the Uganda-Türkiye relationship from a buyer-seller dynamic to one of capacity-building. “Now we will be able to build capacity as a country, and that’s when we benefit from this relationship that will be a win-win for both sides,” Lt Gen Mugira said.

Maj Gen Jack Bakasumba, the Chief of Joint Staff; Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeyi, General Manager of Luwero Industries; Brig Gen Charles Bakahumura, Uganda’s Defence Attaché to Türkiye; and the head of the Turkish delegation, Gökhan Uçar attended the meeting.