Chief of Defence forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba orders closure of Nation Media Group

       

Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, ordered the immediate shutdown of Nation Media Group (NMG) outlets on Sunday, June 28, 2026. Heavily armed military personnel subsequently raided and surrounded the media company's headquarters in Namuwongo, Kampala, and its premises at the Serena Hotel.

Affected Outlets

The coordinated military operation targeted several of the most influential independent media houses in the country:

NTV Uganda (Private television broadcaster taken off air)

Spark TV (Private television broadcaster taken off air)

Daily Monitor (Uganda's largest independent daily newspaper, production halted)

The East African (Regional weekly newspaper)

93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM (Radio stations forced off air)

Gen. Muhoozi's Statements

Gen. Muhoozi, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, used his official account on the platform X to justify the closure. He stated that he does not "believe in a free press" and declared that the media "should be guided by cadres of the revolution". He claimed the power to shutter media entities was delegated to him by his father in 2017 and warned that the outlets would not reopen without his direct permission. He additionally issued a directive via X ordering the arrest of NMG Uganda's Managing Director, Susan Nsibirwa.

Current Status and Repercussions

On-the-ground Situation: Armed soldiers maintain a heavy presence at NMG offices, blocking staff from entering or leaving.

Corporate Response: NMG Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa confirmed that the media company is engaged in high-level talks with the military to safely resolve the crisis and reopen the outlets.

National Reactions: The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) condemned the military action, labeling it a direct threat to the media ecosystem and constitutional press freedom. Opposition figures, including Bobi Wine, noted the move effectively signals open military rule.

International Backlash: Rights groups such as Amnesty International have demanded an immediate end to the harassment of independent journalists. In Washington, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, urged the U.S. government to review its security relationship with Uganda, calling the military "unfit partners" following the assault on free speech.

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