Operations at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda were thrown into turmoil on Sunday after NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air and Daily Monitor’s operations were disrupted following public directives issued by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Viewers attempting to tune into NTV Uganda and Spark TV were met with unavailable broadcasts, while security personnel were reportedly deployed to the media house’s headquarters in Namuwongo, Kampala.
The dramatic development came shortly after Gen. Muhoozi posted on X that NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor had been shut down, adding that they would not resume operations without his permission. The posts quickly sparked widespread discussion across Uganda’s political and media circles.
Journalists and staff at the Nation Media Group premises reported that access to the compound had been restricted as security officers maintained a presence around the facility. The interruption affected television broadcasts and disrupted newsroom operations.
By Sunday afternoon, no formal court order or publicly released legal directive explaining the shutdown had been issued. Government authorities had also not provided a detailed official explanation for the security operation.
The incident marks one of the most significant disruptions to a major Ugandan media organisation in recent years and is expected to draw close attention from media stakeholders, civil society organisations and international observers.
As the situation continues to develop, Ugandans are awaiting further statements from the authorities and Nation Media Group regarding when normal broadcasting and publishing operations might resume.