Armed security personnel surrounded the premises of Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda in Namuwongo and Kampala Serena Hotel in the early hours of Sunday, following a shutdown order issued by Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air by 5:00am local time, with viewers met with blank screens displaying the message “video unavailable.” The operations of NMG’s other platforms, including the Daily Monitor and radio stations 93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM, also appeared to have been disrupted.
The security operation began shortly after midnight, with personnel deployed at the NMG premises. Staff inside reported that no one was being allowed to enter or leave the compound.
The crackdown followed a series of posts on X by Gen Muhoozi, in which he declared that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down amid a long-term ban from covering his father, President Museveni.
“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote in a 1:07am post. He followed with another post stating: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”
In an earlier post, he said: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”
The remarks marked an escalation of threats made over the past week, during which Gen Muhoozi repeatedly claimed he was awaiting permission from his father before moving against the media house.
At 4:45am, nearly four hours after the siege began, the broadcaster was still carrying an Al Jazeera simulcast despite the security presence. Shortly afterwards, NTV Uganda and Spark TV went off air. 90.4 Dembe FM and 93.3 KFM also appeared to have gone off air, though no reason was immediately given by authorities.
By daybreak, security personnel remained deployed at the NMG premises and Serena Hotel, with staff inside unable to move in or out. Neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force, nor the Uganda Communications Commission had issued a formal statement explaining the operation or announcing any legal order affecting the broadcaster or newspaper.
The latest operation is not the first time NMG Uganda operations have been targeted by State agents. In May 2013, police raided the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM over the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan dubbed the “Muhoozi Project.” The premises remained sealed for more than a week before the outlets were allowed to resume operations.
In February 2007, barely two months after NTV Uganda launched, the broadcaster was forced off air by the government following accusations that its news coverage was negative. Over the years, President Museveni has also repeatedly criticised the Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an “enemy and evil newspaper” over its critical journalism.
Despite repeated confrontations with the authorities, NMG-Uganda has consistently maintained its commitment to independent, public-interest journalism, describing itself as “Uganda’s Bold Voice.”
NMG is the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa, with operations in print, broadcast, and digital media across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. It is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange, the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, the Uganda Securities Exchange, and the Rwanda Stock Exchange.
The shutdown of its Ugandan operations raises serious questions about press freedom in the country and the rule of law. Past raids drew widespread condemnation from local and international media freedom organisations and rights groups, and this latest operation is likely to attract similar scrutiny.
It remains unclear how long the State-enforced blackout will last. Gen Muhoozi’s statements suggest that NTV and Monitor will not be allowed to reopen without his permission, but no formal legal process has been announced.
For the hundreds of employees affected, the shutdown represents an immediate threat to their livelihoods. For the public, it represents a significant reduction in access to independent news and information.
The international community, media freedom advocates, and civil society organisations are expected to respond in the coming days, as Uganda’s already strained media environment faces one of its most serious tests in years.
