Monitor Publications headquarters
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Heavy military deployment mirrored one of the most controversial crackdowns on Uganda’s independent media in recent history after security forces surrounded the Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda headquarters in Namuwongo, Kampala, forcing NTV Uganda and Dembe FM off air in an operation linked to orders from the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The overnight operation, which began shortly after midnight on Sunday, also extended to Kampala Serena Hotel, where security personnel maintained a heavy presence and restricted the movement of staff and journalists. By 6:00 a.m., viewers attempting to tune into NTV Uganda and Spark TV were greeted by blank screens carrying the message: “Video unavailable,” while Dembe FM also ceased broadcasting.
The Daily Monitor confirmed that security operatives had deployed at the media house, effectively disrupting normal broadcasting operations. However, by Sunday morning, neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) had issued a formal statement or legal directive explaining the security deployment or the suspension of the broadcasts.
The shutdown followed days of escalating attacks by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba against Nation Media Group journalists and publications through his social media accounts. The military chief accused the media house of hostile reporting and publicly threatened unspecified action against its journalists, remarks that raised growing concerns among press freedom advocates.
Although authorities have remained officially silent, multiple reports indicate that the security operation was executed following directives from the military chief, effectively preventing journalists and other employees from freely accessing or leaving the NMG premises.
The siege has drawn comparisons with the May 2013 closure of the Daily Monitor, Red Pepper and Dembe FM, when security agencies raided media houses over the publication of a letter alleging an alleged succession plan involving President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi.
During that operation, police sealed off the media premises for more than a week, confiscated equipment and halted newspaper production and radio broadcasts.
Media rights organisations have frequently cited the 2013 raid as one of Uganda’s most significant assaults on press freedom, warning that similar actions undermine constitutional guarantees on freedom of expression and access to information.
Sunday’s shutdown is expected to intensify concerns over the shrinking civic space ahead of Uganda’s 2026 General Election, with journalists increasingly facing intimidation, arrests and restrictions while covering political events.
As of Sunday evening, there was no indication of when NTV Uganda and Dembe FM would resume normal broadcasting, while Nation Media Group had yet to receive any publicly disclosed legal order justifying the military deployment or the interruption of its operations.
