Uganda’s leading independent broadcaster, NTV Uganda, and newspaper, the Daily Monitor, have been forced to suspend operations after security officers laid siege to Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises following orders by the country’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The operation, carried out overnight in Kampala, also knocked Spark TV off air after heavily armed security personnel barricaded the media company’s offices and restricted access to staff.
The dramatic shutdown came hours after Gen Muhoozi announced on his X account that the broadcaster and newspaper would be closed.
“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” he wrote before adding, “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”
By Sunday morning, NTV Uganda and Spark TV had gone off air, while operations at the Daily Monitor were also disrupted as security officers maintained a heavy presence outside the company’s headquarters.
The latest development follows days of escalating attacks by the army chief against the Nation Media Group, accusing the media house of what he termed hostile reporting.
The shutdown has sparked fresh concerns over media freedom in Uganda, with journalists and rights groups questioning the circumstances under which one of East Africa’s largest independent media organisations was taken off air.
Nation Media Group Uganda operates several major media outlets, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, KFM and Dembe FM, making the latest operation one of the most significant actions against the country’s media in recent years.
The incident also revives memories of the 2013 raid on the Daily Monitor, when security agencies temporarily shut down the newspaper over reports linked to the so-called “Muhoozi Project.”
By the time of publication, Ugandan authorities had not issued a formal explanation outlining the legal basis for the shutdown, while the Uganda Communications Commission had yet to comment on the operation.
The latest move is expected to intensify debate over press freedom in Uganda, especially as the country heads into another politically sensitive period, with observers closely watching how long the media house will remain off air and whether the government will formally explain the decision.