'Under siege': Uganda's army chief clamps down on the press
Amnesty urges Uganda to end harassment after army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, shut down major independent media outlets. Analysts see the move as part of a
Amnesty urges Uganda to end harassment after army chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, shut down major independent media outlets. Analysts see the move as part of a widening press crackdown and a looming power shift. Rights group Amnesty International has called on the Ugandan government to immediately end the harrasment of activists and to allow the media to operate freely. Their demand comes after Uganda's, military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba ordered theclosure of the independent media company Nation Media Group (NMG). Kainerugaba, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, is known for threatening critics of the government, particularly opposition leaders. His attack on the press is the latest escalation. Several opposition figures, including Kizza Besigye, are in detention in what rights groups and activists say are politically motivated charges. On June 28, soldiers surrounded the company's editorial and broadcasting facilities, NTV, a channel owned by NMG. The military halted broadcasting operations at NTV and Spark TV. The "Daily Monitor" and "The East African," newspapers, as well as radio stations, are also affected. "Negotiations are ongoing at different levels for reopening," said Susan Nsibirwa, managing director for NMG in Uganda, according to news agency Reuters on Monday. US condemns Uganda's attack on free speech Kainerugaba's action prompted a strong response from Jim Risch, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee: He urged Washington to review its security relationship with Uganda, adding Kainerugaba's attacks on free speech, including shuttering major media houses, made him and the Ugandan military "unfit partners".
Army Chief Kainerugaba gave no specific reason for the shutdown of the media outlets but wrote on the platform Opposition and human rights groups accuse Kainerugaba of being a central figure in a highly repressive regime led by his father, a former rebel leader. Under Kainerugaba's command, demonstrations are often crushed by brutal force. "The president's son continues his unchecked and unjust campaign of harassment and intimidation of independent media and civil society," Amnesty's East and Southern Africa director, Tigere Chagutah, said in a statement on Monday. Is Museveni 'handing power' to his son? "We are seeing a transfer of power to the president's son," a source at an international foundation in Uganda who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, told DW. "General Kainerugaba has been expanding his influence within the government since taking over leadership of the military in 2024", he said, adding that The Daily Monitor is Uganda's most influential independent newspaper and is known for its investigative journalism, editorial independence, and critical reporting on the government. Kainerugaba had already threatened to shut down the news outlet weeks ago. The reason for this, according to the source, was critical headlines and critical analysis by the NTV regarding the army general's influence on national institutions, particularly Uganda's parliament. Uganda: Is President Museveni's son 'above the law'? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video However, even those institutions responsible for regulating the media—such as the Uganda Communications Commission—have "reacted only very cautiously to the army chief's action," he added.
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