By ; Ibrahim Kigozi G|
Photo : Showing Ugandan Government critic Fred Lumbuye, whose stay in turkey has become a subject of diplomatic and political debate.
The escalating dispute between Uganda and Türkiye over the continued presence of Ugandan government critic Fred Lumbuye has raised a provocative question: could Ankara ever allow a repeat of the kind of killing that took place on Turkish soil in the Jamal Khashoggi case?
The answer lies largely in what the Khashoggi episode taught Türkiye—and the international community—about the enormous diplomatic and legal consequences of such an operation.
Lumbuye has lived in Türkiye for years and has remained a vocal critic of the Ugandan government. Ugandan authorities have previously sought his extradition, while Turkish authorities have not handed him over. In May 2026, Lumbuye also denied reports that he had been arrested, saying his social-media accounts had been hacked.
The dispute has since become more politically charged, with Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly criticising Türkiye over the Lumbuye issue. Reports have linked the diplomatic disagreement to wider demands by Muhoozi concerning Uganda's role in Somalia and Türkiye's interests in the region.
But the Khashoggi comparison needs to be handled carefully.
Photo : Showing Saudi Journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was killed in Instanbul in 2018, continues to shape discussions about politically sensitive cases in turkey.
On October 2, 2018, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and never emerged. Turkish authorities investigated the disappearance, and the case became an international crisis. A U.S. intelligence assessment later concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation to capture or kill Khashoggi.
For Türkiye, the episode was particularly consequential because the killing happened inside a Saudi diplomatic facility on Turkish territory. Turkish authorities publicly pursued the investigation, sought access to the consulate and gathered evidence concerning what had happened.
That history makes a repeat of such an operation involving Lumbuye an entirely different proposition.
First, Türkiye has sovereignty over its territory. Any covert operation by a foreign state against someone living there would raise serious questions about Turkish sovereignty and security.
Photo : Showing the Saudi Consulate in Instanbul , where Khashoggi entered before his death in 2018.
Second, Türkiye has already demonstrated that it is capable of investigating politically sensitive incidents involving foreign governments. The Khashoggi investigation placed enormous international attention on Istanbul and demonstrated how quickly an incident on Turkish soil can become a global diplomatic crisis.
Third, Lumbuye's case is currently a matter of immigration, extradition, diplomacy and law—not evidence of any Turkish decision to facilitate violence against him. There is no reliable evidence that Türkiye intends to harm him.
Photo : Uganda - Turkey maintain diplomatic relations as disagreements over Lumbuye add a sensitive dimension to their relationship.
The political rhetoric surrounding the case, however, makes his situation worth watching.
Muhoozi's public pressure on Türkiye has turned what might otherwise have remained an extradition dispute into a broader diplomatic confrontation. That raises questions about how Kampala and Ankara will manage their disagreement without allowing political rhetoric to overwhelm established legal and diplomatic channels.
The Khashoggi tragedy therefore serves as a warning rather than a template.
Photo : Turkey has become central to diplomatic questions surrounding Fred Lumbuye.
Türkiye's experience with Khashoggi showed the world what can happen when an alleged state operation crosses borders. The Lumbuye question now tests something different: whether Uganda and Türkiye can resolve a highly charged dispute through law and diplomacy rather than confrontation.
For Lumbuye, the central question remains whether Türkiye will continue to protect his legal status—or eventually agree to Uganda's requests through a formal process.
For Kampala and Ankara, the larger test is whether diplomacy can prevail before the dispute becomes even more complicated.