Uganda's military chief orders shutdown of two major media outlets

NAIROBI:Uganda’s military chief, who is also the president’s son, said on Sunday he had ordered the closure of two ​leading media outlets, declaring that he did “not believe in ‌a free press”.

Muhoozi Kainerugaba said the Daily Monitor - Uganda’s largest independent daily newspaper - and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s largest private broadcasters, would “not re-open ​without my permission”.

“In Uganda, I do not believe in ​a free press! The press should be guided by cadres ⁠of the revolution,” Kainerugaba wrote in a series of posts ​on the X platform.

He did not give specific reasons for closing ​the media outlets, both of which are owned by Nation Media Group (NMG), a media conglomerate headquartered in Kenya and listed on the Nairobi stock exchange.

The ​Daily Monitor reported on Sunday that military personnel had been deployed ​at NMG’s premises in the capital, Kampala, and that staff were being prevented ‌from ⁠leaving or entering the premises.

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NTV Uganda and other NMG TV and radio broadcasters in the country were all down as of Sunday morning.

Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja did not immediately respond to ​a Reuters request ​for comment.

Susan Nsibirwa, ⁠managing director for NMG in Uganda, said she did not have an immediate comment.

Kainerugaba, who has ​been touted as a possible successor to his ageing ​father, ⁠President Yoweri Museveni, is well known for his controversial social media posts including threats to behead the leading opposition leader Bobi Wine.

In 2013, ⁠the ​government of Museveni, who has ruled the ​country since 1986, shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days over reports regarding his ​succession.