If you’ve been scrolling through X over the weekend, you may have seen claims that Uganda’s biggest private media house is about to go off air. So, what is actually happening?
On Saturday, 27 June 2026, Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, posted on X that President Yoweri Museveni had approved his plan to shut down Nation Media Group Uganda’s two flagship outlets.
This post, which quickly spread across social media, followed a series of similar threats by Muhoozi earlier this month, including one on 13 June in which he wrote:
After claiming on Saturday that Mzee (President Museveni) had approved the move, Muhoozi went on to declare that “NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor are being shut down today!” and that they would not reopen without his permission.
So, did it happen? The situation is partly unfolding on the ground.
NTV Uganda remains on air, and the Daily Monitor continues publishing on its website. However, it has been reported that the military was deployed early Sunday, 28 June 2026, at the Daily Monitor’s Namuwongo offices and NTV Uganda’s studios at Kampala Serena Hotel. Entry and exit points at both media houses were blocked by armed forces, restricting access to NMG staff.
The public awaits official statements from the UPDF, UCC, and Nation Media Group Uganda regarding the situation.
5:40 am Update – NTV Uganda and Spark TV have been forced off air.
