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Uganda’s army chief ordered the closure of the country’s leading independent media outlets on June 28 2026 declaring he does not believe in a free press as armed soldiers surrounded the Nation Media Group’s headquarters in Kampala and took several stations off air. Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba who is the son of President Yoweri Museveni and serves as chief of defence forces announced the move on the social media platform X stating that affected outlets including the Daily Monitor and NTV would not reopen without his permission. The action which also impacted Spark TV and associated radio stations has intensified concerns over media restrictions in a nation long governed by Museveni.
The Nation Media Group reported that its premises came under military siege during the early hours of Sunday with soldiers blocking staff from entering or leaving the compound according to accounts shared with Reuters and AFP. Television viewers attempting to access NTV Uganda and Spark TV encountered messages indicating that the content was unavailable while the Daily Monitor and sister publications including KFM Dembe FM and The East African fell silent. RFI noted that the shutdown forms part of a pattern in which the army chief has asserted greater control through arrests of politicians and activists in recent months.
Gen Kainerugaba wrote on X “I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.” He added that his father had granted him authority to close any media house he chose and warned “both NTV and Daily Monitor will not re-open without my permission.” The general concluded “From now on ALL media in Uganda will follow the rules!” a sequence of posts that Sahara Reporters and other outlets cited as the direct trigger for the operation.
The closures mark another episode in a series of interventions targeting the same media properties which were previously raided in 2013 after the Daily Monitor published a letter referencing an alleged Muhoozi project Reuters reported. NTV Uganda was also forced off air in 2007 over coverage authorities deemed negative while President Museveni once labeled the Daily Monitor an enemy and evil newspaper in public remarks. Such incidents reflect tensions that have persisted since Museveni a former rebel leader assumed power in 1986.
Reporters Without Borders data places Uganda 143rd out of 180 countries in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index a decline of 15 positions from the prior year that underscores ongoing challenges for journalists. A Congressional Research Service assessment from April 2025 highlighted U.S. concerns including visa bans on military officials linked to extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detentions of reporters covering opposition activities. The U.S. State Department has repeatedly flagged violence against media workers during election periods as a core issue.
President Museveni secured a seventh term in disputed elections held in January 2026 with the United Nations describing the environment as repressive due to disrupted opposition rallies and security force actions. Election officials countered that the polls met standards of fairness despite international criticism that included documented restrictions on press coverage. The army chief’s latest directive arrives as speculation continues over his potential succession role within the ruling establishment.
Opposition figures and human rights organizations have accused Gen Kainerugaba of occupying a central position in mechanisms that suppress dissent a characterization echoed across reports from RFI and The Daily Star. The Nation Media Group which maintains a significant presence across East Africa has not released further statements beyond its initial alert on the siege. No additional explanation from the Ugandan government had emerged by late June 28 beyond the army chief’s own social media declarations.
