After days of speculation and mounting criticism, the Government of Uganda has finally spoken about the dramatic security operation that brought Nation Media Group’s Ugandan operations to a standstill.
ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba says the June 28 disruption was not a random operation but the result of a security-led inquiry ordered by President Yoweri Museveni.
According to the minister, the inquiry brings together the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), other security agencies and technical experts to investigate matters surrounding Nation Media Group. She said the government will communicate the findings once the inquiry is complete but did not reveal the specific issues under investigation.
The statement marks the first official explanation since armed security personnel disrupted operations at Nation Media Group on June 28, affecting outlets including Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, KFM, Dembe FM, Spark TV and The EastAfrican. The incident sparked concern from media rights organisations and drew international attention.
Meanwhile, discussions over reopening the affected media houses are continuing. Nation Media Group’s Uganda management says negotiations are underway as staff remain unable to fully resume normal operations.
With the government’s silence now broken, attention shifts to the outcome of the presidentially ordered inquiry and whether it will provide answers to the questions that have surrounded one of Uganda’s biggest media standoffs in recent years.