Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Sunday (June 28) ordered the suspension of operations of two of the country’s leading media organisations—Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda—declaring that he does not believe in the concept of a free press.
According to international media reports, Kainerugaba, who is also the son of long-serving President Yoweri Museveni, announced the directive through a series of posts on X. He said the two media outlets would not be allowed to resume operations without his approval, although he did not provide any legal or operational justification for the move.
Daily Monitor, one of Uganda’s largest independent newspapers, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s leading private television broadcasters, are both owned by the Kenya-based Nation Media Group (NMG).
Local media reported that military personnel were deployed outside NMG’s headquarters in Kampala on Sunday. Employees were reportedly barred from entering or leaving the premises, while NTV Uganda and other NMG-owned radio and television stations remained off the air throughout the day.
Ugandan government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Susan Ntabirwa, Managing Director of Nation Media Group Uganda, also declined to comment on the development.
Kainerugaba, widely regarded as a potential successor to President Museveni, has repeatedly sparked controversy through his social media posts. His latest directive has renewed concerns among press freedom advocates over the state of media independence and freedom of expression in Uganda.
President Museveni has been in power since 1986. In 2013, his government temporarily shut down Daily Monitor following the publication of a report on the country’s political succession, a move that drew widespread criticism from media rights organisations.
