KAMPALA – Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has sparked widespread concern after posting statements on X indicating that major media houses, including NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor, were being shut down.
In a series of posts, Gen. Muhoozi wrote: “NTV and Moniter are being shut down from today!”
He further added: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”
In another post, he declared: “Both NTV and Moniter are being shut down without my permission.”
The statements immediately triggered alarm among journalists and media observers, with reports circulating on social media claiming that security forces had been deployed at Nation Media Group (NMG) premises, including Daily Monitor offices in Namuwongo and the NTV Uganda broadcast centre at Serena Hotel.
Social media posts and unverified images suggested that armed personnel were stationed outside media facilities and that transmission at some outlets had been disrupted. However, these claims had not been independently confirmed by authorities at the time of publication.
An online statement attributed to NTV Uganda and circulating widely alleged that security forces had “laid siege” to media premises following the reported order.
The same reports claimed that operations at several NMG-affiliated outlets—including Spark TV, KFM, Dembe FM, and The EastAfrican—were affected, though no official communication from the Uganda Police Force, Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), or the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance had confirmed the developments.
By Sunday morning, neither government nor military spokespersons had issued a detailed explanation regarding the alleged deployments or the legal basis for any action against the media houses.
Media freedom advocates have in the past raised concerns over rising pressure on independent journalism in Uganda, particularly involving politically sensitive reporting and public criticism of senior officials.
The situation remains unclear, with journalists and observers calling for urgent clarification on the status of the affected media organisations and the safety of media workers.
