Uganda Military Chief Shuts Down Major Media Outlets, Declares Press Must Be Guided by ‘Cadres of the Revolution’

Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the closure of two of the country's leading independent media organisations, declaring that he does not believe in a free press.

Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni and is widely viewed as a potential successor, announced the directive in a series of posts on his X account on Sunday, stating that the affected media organisations would remain shut until he personally authorised their reopening.

"In Uganda, I do not believe in a free press. The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution," he wrote.

The directive affects Daily Monitor, Uganda's largest independent newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country's biggest privately owned television stations. Both media organisations are operated by Nation Media Group, the Kenyan media company listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Kainerugaba did not provide any official reason for ordering the closure.

According to the Daily Monitor, military personnel were deployed to Nation Media Group's headquarters in Kampala on Sunday, restricting staff movement and disrupting operations at the media house.

The newspaper reported that employees were prevented from freely entering or leaving the premises following the deployment.

Reuters also reported that NTV Uganda, along with other television and radio stations operated by Nation Media Group in Uganda, had gone off air as of Sunday morning.

Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the development.

Similarly, the Managing Director of Nation Media Group Uganda, Susan Nsibirwa, declined immediate comment.

The latest development has intensified concerns about media freedom in Uganda, where journalists and media organisations have frequently clashed with authorities over reporting deemed politically sensitive.

Kainerugaba, known for his outspoken and often controversial social media posts, has previously attracted criticism for inflammatory comments, including public threats directed at opposition leader Bobi Wine.

The shutdown also revives memories of a similar incident in 2013, when the government of President Museveni ordered the closure of the Daily Monitor for 10 days after it published reports concerning succession politics within the ruling establishment.