A senior delegation from the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) arrived in Nairobi this week for a benchmarking mission with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), an event clouded by recent inflammatory remarks by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni concerning territorial access to the Indian Ocean. The visit, officially focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in military welfare programmes, is proceeding even as diplomatic channels work to smooth over tensions sparked by the Ugandan leader's comments.

The UPDF delegation, led by Deputy Commander of Land Forces Major General Francis Takirwa, was received at Moi Air Base in Eastleigh on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, by Brigadier Peter Limo, the Managing Director of the KDF's Defence Forces Welfare Services (DEFWES). According to a KDF statement, the visit's purpose is to study Kenya's comprehensive approach to military welfare, including housing, healthcare, veterans' care, and cooperative societies for service members and their families. The Ugandan officers toured DEFWES facilities, including its headquarters and the DEFWES Mall in Embakasi, to gain insights into the institution's operational structure. Major General Takirwa commended the KDF's innovative welfare management and stressed the importance of regional collaboration in improving soldiers' quality of life.

Diplomatic Undercurrents

The routine military engagement has been cast in a different light by President Museveni's recent statements. Speaking during a radio interview on Sunday, November 9, 2025, he warned of potential future wars if landlocked nations like Uganda are denied access to the sea. Using an analogy of a condominium, he argued that coastal nations should not have exclusive rights to the ocean, stating, "That ocean belongs to me. Because it is my ocean. I am entitled to that ocean. In the future, we are going to have wars." These remarks have been widely interpreted as being directed at Kenya, as Uganda relies heavily on the Port of Mombasa for its imports and exports.

In response, the Kenyan government has adopted a measured and diplomatic tone. On Wednesday, November 12, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Dr. Korir Sing'Oei addressed the issue during a media briefing, stating that President Museveni's comments were likely metaphorical and not a literal threat. "President Yoweri Museveni was speaking metaphorically rather than to suggest that there was anything that was done in the manner in which he described it," Dr. Sing'Oei stated, reaffirming Kenya's commitment to international territorial laws and peaceful diplomacy. He added that Nairobi trusts the Ugandan president understands matters of sovereignty.

A History of Controversial Remarks

This incident is not the first time remarks from a high-profile Ugandan figure have caused diplomatic friction. In October 2022, President Museveni's son, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, posted a series of tweets threatening to capture Nairobi within two weeks. The comments caused outrage in Kenya and forced President Museveni to issue a formal apology to "our Kenyan brothers and sisters." General Kainerugaba was subsequently removed from his post as commander of Uganda's land forces, though he was also promoted to the rank of full general.

These recurring episodes highlight the delicate nature of the relationship between the two key East African Community (EAC) partners. Despite strong economic ties—with nearly 48% of Kenya's exports reportedly going to Uganda—and ongoing security cooperation, political rhetoric periodically strains the partnership. Recent tensions also include the abduction and 38-day detention of two Kenyan activists in Uganda in October 2025, an incident that required sustained diplomatic engagement to resolve.

Implications for Regional Stability

The KDF and UPDF maintain robust institutional ties, frequently engaging in joint training exercises and high-level defence committee meetings to address shared security threats like terrorism and cross-border crime. These collaborations are vital for regional stability, particularly concerning peacekeeping efforts in Somalia and the volatile situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The current visit by the UPDF delegation to study KDF's welfare systems underscores this deep-rooted military-to-military relationship. However, the political tensions created by President Museveni's remarks serve as a reminder of the underlying complexities in the bilateral relationship. While both governments publicly project a commitment to partnership, the incident reveals persistent frustrations over economic dependencies and sovereignty, which could have broader implications for EAC integration and collective security if left unmanaged through careful diplomacy.