Uganda’s leading independent media organization, the Nation Media Group (NMG), has accused the country’s military of placing its operations under siege after soldiers shut down its television stations, newspaper, and radio outlets on the orders of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Armed soldiers reportedly surrounded the headquarters of the Daily Monitor newspaper in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises. At the same time, NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off the air, with viewers instead seeing messages indicating that video services were unavailable.
The closure followed a series of controversial statements by Gen. Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, who declared on social media that he does not believe in a free press.
“I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” the army chief wrote on X.
He further claimed that his father had given him the authority to shut down any media organization, adding that the affected outlets would not resume operations without his approval.
The crackdown has triggered widespread condemnation from media organizations, opposition figures, and human rights advocates, who describe the action as a serious assault on press freedom and democratic governance.
The Daily Monitor said the shutdown began in the early hours of Sunday but noted that authorities did not provide any official reason for the action. The newspaper recalled previous confrontations with the government, including a 2013 police raid over reports concerning an alleged succession plan known as the “Muhoozi Project.” NTV Uganda was also suspended in 2007 after officials accused it of negative reporting.
Uganda’s National Broadcasters Association criticized the shutdown, stating that it violates constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and the press. The association announced it would seek clarification from the government.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine, currently living in exile, accused the military of silencing Uganda’s remaining independent voices.
“This is the harsh reality we now face—a country under open military rule, where fear replaces law and force replaces accountability,” he wrote.
Gen. Kainerugaba has previously attracted international criticism over inflammatory social media posts. During Uganda’s January 2026 presidential election, he reportedly threatened to castrate Bobi Wine in posts that were later deleted.
President Museveni, 81, has ruled Uganda since taking power in 1986. Although he recently secured a seventh presidential term in a disputed election, political observers have increasingly speculated that he is preparing his son to succeed him.
International observers, including the United Nations, said Uganda’s most recent election took place in an atmosphere marked by intimidation, repression, and restrictions on opposition activities, although electoral authorities maintained that the process was free and fair.
The latest media shutdown is expected to intensify concerns over democratic freedoms, human rights, and the shrinking space for independent journalism in Uganda, as critics warn of increasing military influence over civilian institutions.
