Uganda’s media landscape was plunged into uncertainty on Saturday night as armed security forces surrounded the country’s leading independent media outlets.
By 5:00 am local time on Sunday morning, NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air following a direct order from the Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The security operation began shortly after midnight on 28 June 2026. Personnel deployed at the Nation Media Group (NMG) premises in Namuwongo and the Kampala Serena Hotel. Staff trapped inside the buildings reported that they were not allowed to enter or leave the compound as the siege progressed.
Confirmation via Social Media
Shortly after the media houses reported they were under siege, General Muhoozi confirmed the crackdown on his X (formerly Twitter) account. In a series of posts starting at 1:07 am, the General declared a permanent end to the operations of the targeted outlets.
"NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today! Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission." — Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
These remarks followed a week of escalating threats where he claimed to be waiting for his father’s permission to move against the media house.
Silence from Authorities
As the sun rose over Kampala, blank screens displaying "video unavailable" met viewers of NTV Uganda and Spark TV. Other NMG platforms, including 90.4 Dembe FM and 93.3 KFM, also went silent during the operation.
Despite the high-profile nature of the shutdown, official government bodies remained silent. No formal statements were immediately issued by the Uganda People's Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force, or the Uganda Communications Commission to explain the legal basis for the raid.
A History of Hostility
This is not the first time NMG Uganda has faced state-enforced closures. In May 2013, the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM were raided and sealed for over a week.
That incident was sparked by the publication of a letter regarding a succession plan known as the Muhoozi Project.
NTV Uganda was also forced off air in 2007, just months after its launch, because the government deemed its news coverage too negative. President Museveni has frequently criticised the Daily Monitor, previously describing it as an "enemy and evil newspaper."
The current siege leaves hundreds of journalists in limbo as the military maintains its presence at the media group’s headquarters.
