Uganda's military chief has ordered the shutdown of one of the country's largest independent media groups, in a dramatic escalation of pressure on the press, the BBC reported.

The outlets forced off air

After an overnight security operation at Nation Media Group's premises in Kampala, the television channels NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air by 5 a.m. local time on Sunday, with viewers met by blank screens, Uganda's Daily Monitor reported. The National Association of Broadcasters said at least six Nation Media Group outlets had been closed — among them the Daily Monitor newspaper and the radio stations KFM and Dembe FM.

What the army chief said

The order came from General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces and the eldest son of President Museveni, who announced it in a series of late-night posts on the social-media platform X. "In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press!" he wrote, adding that "the press should be guided by cadres of the revolution," as the Tanzanian daily The Citizen reported. He said his father had approved the move — "Mzee has approved my plan to close both NTV and Monitor. We are moving immediately!" — and declared that "all bad stories about Uganda have to be cleared by my office." The general is known for inflammatory and unpredictable statements on the platform.

A long-ruling president, a familiar pressure

Museveni, 80, has led Uganda since 1986 and in January 2026 secured another term in an election the opposition and rights groups said was marred by intimidation; the electoral commission declared him the winner over the opposition figure Bobi Wine. Independent outlets — and the Daily Monitor in particular — have repeatedly come under pressure over the years, including past security raids. Muhoozi's growing public role, since his appointment as defense-forces chief, has fueled speculation about a future succession.

Reaction and the questions left open

Press-freedom advocates reacted with alarm, warning that shutting major outlets by military order strikes at the public's access to independent information; the broadcasters' association said it was deeply concerned about the impact on Uganda's media. The government had not issued a formal statement setting out any legal basis for the closures or how long they would last, and it was unclear under what authority a military commander could order media outlets shut. Nation Media Group's journalists and managers were prevented from accessing their offices as the operation unfolded.

This report will be updated as Ugandan authorities, the affected outlets and international press-freedom groups respond further.