Uganda military chief shuts down top media houses

Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the shutdown of two of the country’s leading media outlets, declaring that he does not believe in a free press in a move that has sparked fresh concerns over press freedom.

General Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, announced on Sunday that the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s biggest private television stations, would remain closed until he personally authorises their reopening.

Taking to social media platform X, the military chief said he did “not believe in a free press,” insisting that the media should instead be guided by what he described as “cadres of the revolution.”

He, however, did not provide any specific reasons for ordering the closure of the two media houses, both of which are owned by Kenya-based Nation Media Group (NMG).

According to a report by CNN, soldiers were deployed to NMG’s headquarters in Kampala on Sunday, preventing employees from entering or leaving the premises. Broadcasting by NTV Uganda, along with other NMG-owned television and radio stations, was also taken off air.

Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while NMG Uganda managing director Susan Nsibirwa said she had no immediate statement on the matter.

General Kainerugaba, widely viewed as a possible successor to his 81-year-old father, has frequently courted controversy through his social media posts, including previous threats directed at opposition leader Bobi Wine.

The latest development revives concerns over media freedom in Uganda, where President Museveni’s government has previously taken action against independent media.

In 2013, authorities shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days after it published reports relating to the president’s succession.

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