Uganda's Army Chief Closes Key Media Outlets Amid Tensions

WHO:

CNN - Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni

CNN - Alan Kasujja, Ugandan government spokesperson

CNN - Susan Nsibirwa, managing director for Nation Media Group (NMG) in Uganda

CNN - Bobi Wine, leading opposition leader

WHAT:

CNN - Kainerugaba ordered the closure of two major media outlets: Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda

CNN - Kainerugaba stated that the media outlets would “not re-open without my permission”

BBC News - NTV and Daily Monitor reported their offices in the capital are under "military siege"

CNN - Military personnel were deployed at NMG’s premises in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving

WHERE:

CNN - Kampala, Uganda, where the media outlets are located

CNN - NMG’s premises in the capital, Kampala

WHY:

CNN - Kainerugaba expressed that he does “not believe in a free press” and stated that “the press should be guided by cadres of the revolution”

HOW:

CNN - Kainerugaba made the announcement via a series of posts on the X platform

CNN - The Ugandan government previously shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days in 2013 over succession-related reports

(UPDATED June 28, 2026 13:20 UTC)

In a significant move, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's military chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni, has ordered the closure of two major media outlets, Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda, stating they will “not re-open without my permission.” Reports indicate that military personnel have surrounded the offices of these outlets in Kampala, preventing staff from entering or leaving, while Kainerugaba has expressed his belief that the press should be guided by "cadres of the revolution" rather than operate freely. This is not the first time the Ugandan government has taken such action, as Daily Monitor was previously shut down for ten days in 2013 over succession-related reports.