Agency
Employees of Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda woke up to restricted access and disrupted operations on Sunday morning after security forces moved into the media company’s offices in Kampala, leading to the shutdown of several broadcast and print platforms.
A staff member told Mega Fm that by 5:00 am, offices housing NTV Uganda and Spark TV at the Kampala Serena Conference Center had been sealed off, preventing employees from accessing their workplaces.
The employee, who confirmed that the stations had gone off air, said he normally reports to work on Sundays but had been advised through internal communication channels to remain at home because access to the premises had been restricted.
Another senior staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said security personnel had cut off both the main electricity supply and the backup generator at the facility.
At NMG’s Namuwongo headquarters, where the Daily Monitor, 90.4 Dembe FM, and 93.3 KFM operate, some staff members who reported early were also blocked from entering by security personnel.
The security deployment came hours after a series of online statements targeting the media group. In the posts, Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba said NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be closed immediately and would not resume operations without his approval.
He also criticised media coverage of President Yoweri Museveni. NMG Uganda operates some of the country’s biggest media platforms, including Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda, and other publications. The company employs more than 500 people in Uganda. Neither NMG Uganda, the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, nor the Uganda Communications Commission had issued an official explanation for the operation.
The incident adds to a history of confrontations between NMG Uganda and state authorities. In 2013, police raided the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM offices over the publication of a letter allegedly linked to succession politics, keeping the premises closed for more than a week. In 2007, NTV Uganda was taken off air months after its launch, following government criticism of its coverage.
The latest action has renewed concerns from media freedom advocates over the operating environment for independent journalism in Uganda, especially as the country approaches the January 2026 general elections.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) condemned the shutdown, saying it was seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding the action. “We are deeply concerned about this action and its impact on the media ecosystem, and the rights enshrined under the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda,” NAB said in a statement.
NAB said it had taken note of statements on the X account associated with Gen. Muhoozi, indicating that the affected media houses would not resume operations without his permission. The association said it was engaging the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, UCC, and the Chief of Defence Forces to establish the facts and seek a resolution. The Institute for Justice and Accountability Uganda (IJAU) also condemned the military deployment, describing it as a threat to press freedom.
The institute, led by exiled Ugandan writer and activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, said the presence of armed personnel at the media premises violated constitutional protections on freedom of the press and access to information. It called on state institutions to address what it described as interference with media operations.
The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) says it is preparing an official statement on the shutdown of Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, and other Nation Media Group (NMG) outlets after a military deployment at their premises.