A late-night security operation at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises in Kampala has forced some of the country’s leading media platforms off air, hours after Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced plans to shut down NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor.
According to a story published by Daily Monitor online, the operation, which began shortly after midnight, saw armed security personnel deployed at NMG offices in Namuwongo and the Kampala Serena Hotel, where staff reported restricted movement in and out of the premises. By 5:00 am Sunday, NTV Uganda and Spark TV had stopped broadcasting, leaving viewers with blank screens carrying the message “video unavailable.” The status of other NMG platforms, including Daily Monitor, 93.3 KFM, and 90.4 Dembe FM, remained uncertain as the security presence continued.
The developments followed a series of posts on X by Gen Muhoozi, who declared that NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor would be shut down over their coverage of President Yoweri Museveni. “NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote in a post at 1:07 am. He followed it with another message stating: “Both NTV and Monitor will not reopen without my permission.”
The Chief of Defence Forces had earlier criticised the media and stated: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.” The statements marked a sharp escalation in a week-long confrontation between Gen Muhoozi and the media organisation, during which he repeatedly indicated that he was waiting for clearance from his father before taking action against the outlets.
At the height of the security operation, NTV Uganda was still broadcasting an Al Jazeera simulcast at around 4:45 am, nearly four hours after the deployment began. The channel later went off air alongside Spark TV. NMG Uganda operates several major media platforms, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, The East African, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper, and Nation Courier.
The latest confrontation adds to a long history of tensions between the media group and the Ugandan authorities. In 2013, police raided Daily Monitor and Dembe FM following the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan referred to as the “Muhoozi Project.” The premises remained closed for more than a week.
In 2007, shortly after its launch, NTV Uganda was taken off air by the government over accusations that its reporting was negative. Over the years, President Museveni has also criticised Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an “enemy and evil newspaper” because of its critical reporting. The latest operation comes as Uganda heads toward the 2026 general elections, placing renewed attention on the relationship between state authorities and independent media-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
