Uganda media outlets remain off air after army chief orders closures
Uganda's leading independent media group says its operations remain under military pressure after the army chief ordered the closure of two major outlets. Armed personnel were reported outside Nation Media Group offices in Kampala, while broadcasts from NTV Uganda and related stations were disrupted. The order was announced on Sunday by Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the chief of the Uganda People's Defence Forces.
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Kainerugaba said the Daily Monitor, the country's largest independent daily newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the biggest private broadcasters, would not reopen without his permission. In posts on X, he said he did not believe in a free press and said all bad stories about Uganda would have to be cleared by his office. The Daily Monitor said armed security personnel were stationed outside its headquarters in Namuwongo and at its Serena Hotel location, with staff reporting that no one was being allowed to enter or leave.
The disruption also affected Spark TV and other television and radio services owned by Nation Media Group, according to reports from the country. Uganda's National Association of Broadcasters said it was closely monitoring the situation and expressed deep concern about the impact on the media ecosystem and constitutional rights. The Uganda People's Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda Communications Commission had not issued a statement on the operation at the time of the report.
The episode matters because it involves some of Uganda's most prominent independent media organisations and comes amid long-running concerns about press freedom and political control. Kainerugaba is widely seen as a possible successor to President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986. Museveni granted his son the power to shut down media outlets in 2017, according to Kainerugaba, and the current action has renewed scrutiny of how that authority is being used.
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The outlets involved have faced pressure before. The Daily Monitor was shut down for 10 days in 2013, and NTV Uganda was taken off air in 2007 after government criticism of its coverage. Museveni won a record seventh term in disputed elections in January, and speculation about succession has continued since then.
Supporters of the government say it has brought stability, while critics argue that the system remains highly repressive. What remains unclear is how long the closures will last, whether the order applies to all Nation Media Group outlets, and what legal or administrative basis is being used. It is also not clear whether the military presence outside the Kampala offices will continue or expand.
The next developments are likely to depend on whether the authorities issue a formal explanation and whether the media companies are allowed to resume normal operations.
Uganda's leading independent media group says its operations are under military siege after the army chief ordered the closure of television stations, newspapers and radio outlets. Armed soldiers were reported outside the headquarters of the Daily Monitor in Kampala, while NTV and Spark TV were taken off air. The outlets are part of Nation Media Group, one of the most influential media companies in East Africa.
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The reported crackdown was described by the Daily Monitor as taking place in the early hours of Sunday. The newspaper said staff were told that no one was allowed to enter or leave the compound, and viewers of NTV Uganda and Spark TV were met with blank screens carrying a message that video was unavailable. Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is widely seen as a possible successor to President Yoweri Museveni, said in posts on X that he did not believe in a free press and that the press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.
Gen Kainerugaba also said his father had given him the power to shut down any media house he wanted to, and added that NTV and the Daily Monitor would not reopen without his permission. The Daily Monitor said the outlets were ordered to close during what it called a crackdown in the wee hours of Sunday. It did not give a reason for the action, and the immediate trigger remains unclear.
The episode is significant because it involves some of Uganda's most prominent independent media organisations and comes amid long-running concerns about political repression. Opposition and human rights groups have accused Gen Kainerugaba of being a central figure in a highly repressive system led by his father. Supporters of the president and his family say they have brought stability to Uganda, and that the economy has improved under their rule.
President Museveni, who is 81, is a former rebel leader who has been in power for about 40 years. He won a record seventh term in disputed elections in January, and there has been widespread speculation that he is preparing his son to succeed him. The Daily Monitor has previously faced pressure, including a police raid in 2013 over the publication of a letter said to link senior government officials to a succession plan known as the Muhoozi Project.
NTV was also forced off air in 2007 after the government accused it of negative news coverage. What remains unclear is how long the closures will last, whether the order applies to all affected outlets, and what legal or administrative basis is being used. It is also not clear whether the reported military presence outside the Kampala headquarters will be maintained or expanded.
The next developments are likely to depend on whether the authorities give a formal explanation and whether the media companies are allowed to resume broadcasting and publishing.
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