Uganda military Chief Orders two Media Outlets Closed

Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the closure of two of the country’s leading media organisations, saying he does not support a free press.

In a series of posts on X on Sunday, Kainerugaba said the Daily Monitor newspaper and NTV Uganda would remain closed until he approved their reopening. He did not provide a legal basis or detailed explanation for the directive.

“I do not believe in a free press,” Kainerugaba wrote, adding that the media should be guided by what he described as “cadres of the revolution.”

The Daily Monitor reported that soldiers were deployed to Nation Media Group’s offices in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises. NTV Uganda, along with the group’s other television and radio stations in the country, also went off air.

The affected outlets are owned by Kenya-based Nation Media Group. Uganda government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately comment on the development, while Nation Media Group’s Uganda Managing Director, Susan Nsibirwa, declined to comment.

Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni and widely viewed as a possible successor, has previously attracted criticism over controversial social media posts, including threats directed at opposition leader Bobi Wine.

The latest action has renewed concerns about press freedom in Uganda. In 2013, authorities temporarily closed the Daily Monitor for 10 days over reports related to President Museveni’s succession. It remains unclear whether the latest closure was ordered under any formal legal process.

SOURCE: Reuters