Breaking: Security Forces Raid Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda Shut Down in Kampala
KAMPALA, Uganda — Security operatives on Sunday morning stormed the premises of Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda in Kampala, forcing television and radio stations off air and halting the publication of the Daily Monitor newspaper in a dramatic crackdown on one of the country’s leading independent media houses.
The operation, which began shortly after midnight, saw heavily deployed security personnel take control of NMG Uganda’s headquarters in Namuwongo and maintain a presence at Kampala Serena Hotel, according to reports from Daily Monitor.
By approximately 5:00 a.m., NTV Uganda and Spark TV had been taken off air, with viewers reporting blank screens displaying the message, “video unavailable.” The shutdown also affected KFM and Dembe FM, both of which broadcast from the media group’s Namuwongo premises.
Sources within the media house said staff members were prevented from entering or leaving the premises as security officers carried out the operation.
Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba Announced Action Before Raid
The security deployment followed a series of social media posts by Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, in which he publicly declared that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down.
The posts sparked widespread concern among journalists, media freedom advocates, and members of the public, with many questioning the legality of such actions against independent media organizations.
As of Sunday morning, Nation Media Group Uganda had not issued an official statement regarding the shutdown.
Latest Media-State Confrontation
The closure marks the latest chapter in the long-running tensions between the Ugandan government and one of the country’s largest private media organizations.
In May 2013, security agencies raided the offices of Daily Monitor, Dembe FM, and Red Pepper newspaper after the publication of a controversial letter that allegedly linked senior government officials to the so-called “Muhoozi Project.”
Over the years, President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly criticized the Daily Monitor over its editorial coverage, at one point describing the publication as an “enemy and evil newspaper.”
Concerns Over Press Freedom
The shutdown of Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, KFM, and Dembe FM is expected to reignite debate about media freedom, freedom of expression, and the role of independent journalism in Uganda.
Media rights organizations and civil society groups are likely to closely monitor developments as the situation unfolds.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
