'I do not believe in free press': Uganda military chief orders media shutdown of major outlets

Uganda’s military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the president’s son, ordered the closure of two leading media outlets on Sunday, declaring that he did “not believe in a free press” and that journalists should be guided by government loyalists.Kainerugaba said the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent daily newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s largest private broadcasters, would “not re-open without my permission.” The closures also affected KFM and Dembe FM, both owned by Nation Media Group.“In Uganda, I do not believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” Kainerugaba wrote in a series of posts on X. He did not provide specific reasons for the closures.The Daily Monitor reported on Sunday that military personnel had been deployed at Nation Media Group’s premises in the capital, Kampala, and that staff were being prevented from leaving or entering. NTV Uganda and other NMG TV and radio broadcasters in the country were off air as of Sunday morning.Kainerugaba, touted as a possible successor to his ageing father, President Yoweri Museveni, is known for his controversial social media posts, including threats to behead opposition leader Bobi Wine. In 2013, the government shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days over reports regarding Museveni’s succession.Government spokesperson Alan Kasujja and NMG’s Uganda managing director Susan Nsibirwa did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has never publicly commented on who will follow him, though his son’s influence in security matters has grown significantly.Wine, the opposition leader who remains in hiding following the disputed January election, has previously accused Kainerugaba of orchestrating a crackdown on his supporters. Kainerugaba has dismissed such claims, describing some of his social media posts as ironic.