The IPI global network strongly condemns the arbitrary military shutdown in Uganda of news outlets Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda, both part of Nation Media Group (NMG). The shutdown was ordered by the chief of the Ugandan defence forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. IPI calls for the immediate and unconditional reopening of the media outlets and an end to retaliatory attacks against critical media in Uganda.
The forced closure of Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, and several affiliated outlets followed a series of social media posts by General Muhoozi, the son of President Museveni, announcing the shutdown, stating that he did not believe in a free press, and threatening the outlets’ management, claiming their reporting had victimised him for years. He posted on X orders for the arrest of NMG-Uganda Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa, forcing her into hiding.
NMG confirmed the military takeover of its premises in the early hours of June 28, effectively blocking public access to its broadcasting and print services. NMG remains accessible solely through its online platforms.
The military raid is the latest in a series of attacks targeting NMG, the largest independent media house in East and Central Africa. In 2025, IPI documented the barring of NTV Uganda from covering the activities of the presidency and parliament. In 2013, Daily Monitor and two of its affiliated radio stations were closed for over a week, and in 2007, NTV Uganda was temporarily suspended shortly after coming on air.
“The forced closure of Nation Media Group outlets in Uganda and the targeting of its management is a flagrant violation of press freedom and the right of news media outlets to operate free from government interference. The Ugandan authorities have a responsibility to uphold press freedom and the public’s right to information under both Uganda’s own constitution as well as international law,” said Nompilo Simanje, IPI’s Africa Programme Lead. “IPI calls on authorities in Uganda to immediately and unconditionally reverse these closures and end the targeted harassment of Nation Media Group and its management.”
The attacks against NMG in Uganda are taking place within a broader context typified by persistent media freedom violations, carried out with impunity. Authorities in Uganda have increasingly weaponised suspensions and closures of media houses to rein in critical reporting, threatening media pluralism in the country. In the lead-up to the 2026 elections, the Ugandan Communications Commission suspended three radio presenters for over a month following critical coverage of senior government officials. The regulator also closed down Point FM radio ahead of a live interview with opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, for allegedly failing to comply with licensing requirements.
The legal environment in Uganda is increasingly unfriendly to press freedom. Despite an important decision by the Constitutional Court nullifying penal code provisions criminalising libel, the passage of the Protection of Sovereignty Bill in May threatens free expression and puts journalists at risk of heavy sanctions for reporting deemed unfavourable to the economy and national interests. Media houses with a regional presence, such as NMG, whose corporate headquarters are in Kenya, face further scrutiny given the law’s broad definition of a foreign agent, opening another loophole for media restrictions.