Uganda's Media Crackdown
Uganda Security Forces Shut Down Major Independent Media Outlets Under Muhoozi's Orders
Key Points
Security forces conducted an overnight crackdown targeting Nation Media Group's Namuwongo premises and the Kampala Serena Hotel, surrounding the sites, sealing off access, with roads to the NMG compound blocked and power to parts of the facility switched off.
By about 5:00am local time, NTV Uganda and Spark TV were off air, with viewers encountering blank screens and the 'video unavailable' message as security operations unfolded at the Nation Media Group premises.
Nation Media Group Uganda owns a broad portfolio beyond television, including The Daily Monitor, The East African, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and the Nation Courier, illustrating the wide reach of the outlets affected.
A 2013 raid provides historical context: police sealed the Daily Monitor’s premises and suspended KFM and Dembe FM, signaling a precedent for security actions against the group during politically sensitive episodes.
Uganda's military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, ordered an overnight shutdown of the country's leading independent media outlets on June 28, 2026. Security forces sealed off Nation Media Group's Namuwongo headquarters in Kampala, cutting power to broadcast equipment and pulling NTV Uganda and Spark TV off air by 5:00 AM Citizen Digital.
Muhoozi, who is President Yoweri Museveni's son and head of Uganda's military, posted on X that his father had approved the plan. "Mzee has approved my plan to close both NTV and Monitor. We are moving immediately!" he wrote. He also declared: "In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press!" RFI
Armed Troops Surround NMG Compound in Pre-Dawn Raid
Heavily armed soldiers in military fatigues arrived at NMG's Namuwongo headquarters between midnight and 1:00 AM. They blocked all roads into the compound and surrounded the Kampala Serena Hotel, where key transmission infrastructure is housed. Security forces then ordered staff to disconnect main power lines and backup generators Yahoo News.
By 5:00 AM, NTV Uganda and Spark TV signals had gone dark nationwide. Viewers saw blank screens or
By 8:00 AM, reports emerged that journalists and NMG staff inside the compound were being prevented from leaving. The shutdown hit NMG's full portfolio: The Daily Monitor, The East African, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, and the Nation Courier were all affected MarketScreener.
Muhoozi Claims Presidential Backing, Orders Managing Director Arrested
Muhoozi posted on X at 1:07 AM: "NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!" He added that neither outlet would reopen without his personal permission Citizen Digital. He claimed Museveni had granted him the power to shut any media house in Uganda since 2017, though legal experts say there is no clear basis for this under the Uganda Communications Act.
Muhoozi also publicly ordered the arrest of NMG Uganda Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa. He referred to her by a nickname and posted that police patrols should arrest her on sight. The Uganda Journalists Association called the entire operation a "military coup against the constitution," noting that no court order or official warning from the Uganda Communications Commission preceded the raid RFI.
2013 Raid Provides a Grim Blueprint for Today's Crackdown
This is not the first time Ugandan security forces have moved against NMG. In May 2013, police sealed the Daily Monitor's premises and suspended KFM and Dembe FM for 11 days. That raid followed the Monitor publishing a letter about a plan to position Muhoozi as his father's successor — a story that angered the government Yahoo News.
The 2026 shutdown follows a turbulent political period. Uganda's January 2026 general elections were accompanied by a five-day nationwide internet blackout. Muhoozi had also separately demanded Shs 10 billion from NTV Uganda in a legal dispute before ordering the shutdown. NMG employs over 500 people in Uganda and is one of the sector's largest taxpayers MarketScreener.
Independent Media Silenced as Muhoozi Tightens Political Grip
With the Daily Monitor and NTV off air, Ugandans are left to rely on state-run UBC for news. Muhoozi said coverage should be handled by "cadres of the revolution" — meaning government loyalists RFI. NTV Uganda had been operating for 20 years before the shutdown.
Pro-government voices on social media praised the move as a way to "curb fake news." Critics, including legal experts, say it violates Article 29 of the Ugandan Constitution, which guarantees press freedom. The incident is expected to further strain Uganda's ties with Western donors, who have previously flagged Muhoozi's public statements as crossing a "red line" Yahoo News.
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