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By Alexander Luyima
The recent meeting between Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and Canada’s Defence Advisor to Uganda, Colonel Todd Braithwaite, has once again raised alarm among human rights defenders.
While the official agenda framed the talks as an opportunity to strengthen Uganda–Canada military cooperation, the meeting was striking for what it excluded: Uganda’s human rights leaders, civil society representatives, and pro-democracy voices who risk their lives daily to defend freedoms under siege.
Canada has long stood as a self-declared defender of democracy and human rights. Yet in Entebbe, its representative chose to sit with one of the key architects of Uganda’s military machinery—an institution widely accused of abuses ranging from unlawful detentions to brutal crackdowns on peaceful protesters. For many Ugandans, this raises painful questions: Whose voices does Canada truly value—the generals in uniform, or the ordinary people fighting for dignity, justice, and democracy?
The Special Forces Command (SFC), where the meeting was held, is itself linked to a history of rights violations. Holding high-level diplomatic talks there risks legitimizing state repression instead of challenging it. This symbolism matters: when Canada meets generals but ignores the victims of abuse, it signals to authoritarian regimes that military ties can outweigh human rights obligations.
Human rights advocates argue that Canada missed a critical opportunity. A genuine pro-democracy agenda would have demanded engagement not only with Uganda’s armed forces but also with journalists under threat, opposition leaders facing constant harassment, and activists silenced for daring to speak.
“Military cooperation without human rights accountability is complicity,” said one Ugandan activist who requested anonymity for security reasons. “If Canada claims to champion democracy, then it must listen to the people, not just the generals.”
This is not simply about diplomacy—it is about lives. Every day, Ugandans are jailed, beaten, or exiled for demanding freedoms that Canadians themselves enjoy. Strengthening ties with a military accused of such violations, without simultaneously uplifting the voices of victims, undermines Canada’s credibility and emboldens repression.
Canada now faces a choice: will it continue to prioritize security interests and photo opportunities with generals, or will it realign its diplomacy to stand firmly with the people of Uganda—the true guardians of democracy and human rights?
