Ugandan army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, orders the shutdown of multiple independent media outlets, prompting allegations of an escalating clampdown on free speech. Several outlets report that Kainerugaba directs security forces to halt operations of the country’s leading independent media organizations, including Nation Media Group Uganda (NMG-U) and the Daily Monitor, as well as NTV Uganda. According to reports, Kainerugaba publicly expresses skepticism about independent journalism and states he does not “believe in a free press,” adding that media coverage should align with government loyalists or guidance.
International and rights-focused reporting describes the affected outlets as operating under “military siege” and reports that journalists and management face threats or pressure. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on authorities to withdraw security forces from the premises of NMG-U and to allow the company to operate without interference, including ensuring that managing director Susan Nsibirwa can work without fear of arrest or attack. Amnesty and other observers also characterize the action as part of a broader crackdown on media freedoms.
