Uganda's military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, ordered the shutdown of key independent media outlets including the Daily Monitor newspaper and NTV Uganda broadcaster early on Sunday, June 28, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Kainerugaba, the 52-year-old son of President Yoweri Museveni, deployed military personnel to Nation Media Group (NMG) premises in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving and stopping broadcasts [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
The affected outlets belong to NMG, a Kenya-based conglomerate, and include Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, and radio stations KFM and Dembe FM [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Kainerugaba publicly stated on X (formerly Twitter) that he does not believe in a free press and declared, "I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution," adding that all media must follow "the rules" he sets [1, 2, 3]. He said, "I have the power in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I want to. I have had this power since 2017. This power was given to me by my great father President [Yoweri Museveni]. NTV and Daily Monitor are learning about it today" [2].
He warned the shutdown was just the start and threatened further arrests [2, 6]. Posts on X indicated that Kainerugaba ordered the arrest of Nation Media Group Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa, although this remains unconfirmed [6].
The closures mark a sharp escalation in government pressure on independent media in Uganda. The outlets have faced prior crackdowns, including a 10-day shutdown of Daily Monitor in 2013 and suspension of NTV Uganda in 2007 [1, 3, 4, 5]. There has been no official government or regulatory announcement explaining the shutdown or following normal legal procedures [3, 6].
Opposition leaders and human rights groups criticized Kainerugaba's actions as repressive, while supporters praise the Museveni family for stability and economic progress since President Museveni took power in 1986, nearly 40 years ago [1, 5].
The military deployment to NMG locations continued through Sunday, with no indication when normal operations might resume [1, 2, 3].
