KAMPALA, Uganda – NTV Uganda and Spark TV have been forced off air early Sunday after armed security personnel conducted an overnight operation at the Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda headquarters in Namuwongo, Kampala, and the broadcaster’s transmission site at Kampala Serena Hotel.
The Daily Monitor newspaper offices were also placed under military guard, with staff reporting they were unable to enter or leave the premises.
The operation reportedly began shortly after midnight on June 28. By about 5 a.m., viewers attempting to access NTV Uganda and Spark TV were met with blank screens displaying the message, “Video unavailable.” NMG’s radio stations, 93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM, were also taken off air during the operation. Reports further indicated that power was switched off in parts of the NMG premises while access roads to the facility were blocked.
Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced the action through a series of posts on his X account. At around 1:07 a.m., he wrote: “NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” He later added: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.” In another post, he claimed that “Mzee has approved my plan to close both NTV and Monitor. We are moving immediately,” using the term “Mzee,” a common reference to President Yoweri Museveni.
In earlier posts, Gen. Muhoozi had also stated: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”
By the time of publication, neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission had issued an official statement or legal order explaining the basis for the security operation or the shutdown of the television, radio and newspaper operations.
The raid followed several days of public threats by Gen. Muhoozi directed at Nation Media Group Uganda outlets, which are widely known for their investigative reporting and political coverage. NMG Uganda, a subsidiary of Kenya based Nation Media Group, owns NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, KFM, Dembe FM and several digital platforms.
The incident has drawn comparisons to the May 2013 closure of Daily Monitor and Dembe FM, when police sealed the media house for more than a week following the publication of a letter allegedly detailing a succession plan involving Gen. Muhoozi.
As of Sunday morning, armed security personnel remained deployed at both the NMG headquarters and its transmission facilities. The operational status of other Nation Media Group publications, including The EastAfrican, remained unclear.
The situation continued to develop, with no official indication of when broadcasting or newspaper operations would resume. Journalists, media rights advocates and observers have raised concerns over the implications of the operation for press freedom and the role of the military in regulating media operations.
