Uganda’s military chief has commanded the closure of two significant media outlets

Uganda’s military chief, who is also the president’s son, announced on Sunday that he had ordered the closure of two prominent media outlets, stating that he did “not believe in a free press.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba stated that the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent daily newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s largest private broadcasters, would “not re-open without my permission.

In Uganda, I have no faith in a free press! The press ought to be directed by the revolution’s cadres,” Kainerugaba stated in a series of posts on the X platform.

He did not provide specific reasons for the closure of the media outlets, both of which are owned by Nation Media Group (NMG), a media conglomerate based in Kenya and listed on the Nairobi stock exchange.

The Daily Monitor reported on Sunday that military personnel had been deployed at NMG’s premises in the capital, Kampala, and that staff were being prevented from leaving or entering the premises.
NTV Uganda and other NMG TV and radio broadcasters in the country were offline as of Sunday morning.

Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja has yet to respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Susan Nsibirwa, managing director for NMG in Uganda, stated that she did not have an immediate comment.

Kainerugaba, often regarded as a potential successor to his aging father, President Yoweri Museveni, is recognized for his contentious social media activity, which includes threats directed at prominent opposition leader Bobi Wine.

In 2013, the government of Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, closed the Daily Monitor for 10 days due to reports concerning his succession.