Uganda’s leading independent media group said it was under “military siege” on Sunday after the army chief ordered the shutdown of its newspapers, TV station and radio outlets. This comes amid a widespread crackdown on free speech, initiated by President Yoweri Museveni’s son.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the head of Uganda’s military and President Yoweri Museveni’s son, has asserted growing control in recent months, ordering the arrests of politicians, activists and now a media shutdown.

“NTV and Moniter (sic) are being shut down from today!” Kainerugaba wrote on social media platform X, referring to NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor, both part of the Nation Media Group.

“In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” he added.

The Daily Monitor said on X that it was under “military siege”, with armed soldiers on guard outside its offices in the capital Kampala.

Its other outlets, including Dembe FM, Spark TV, KFM, and The East African, were also affected.

“We’ve been shut down by the military at both NTV studios and offices…No one is allowed in or out. Those who worked last night were ordered to leave by the military,” a senior NTV reporter told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The stations went off air in the early hours of Sunday, with local media reporting that the broadcasts displayed the message: “Video unavailable.”

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