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Muhoozi orders military raid on 2 Uganda media stations
28th June, 2026 08:28 AM
NTV Uganda and Spark TV were temporarily forced off air in the early hours of Sunday, June 28, 2026, after security personnel were deployed at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises after Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba ordered the shutdown of the broadcasters.
NTV Uganda confirmed this by releasing a short statement indicating that the media station was under siege following Muhoozi’s orders.
“Military lays siege to Daily Monitor, NTV after Gen Muhoozi orders shutdown,” NTV Uganda updated its viewers on Sunday, June 28, 2026, leaving the region talking as independent media in the neighbouring country faced a sudden, forced lockdown.
According to the media station, armed soldiers surrounded the media premises in Kampala, taking television stations off air and stopping newspapers from printing.
Midnight media lockdown
The drama actually started online hours before the boots hit the ground. The Ugandan president’s son posted on X, saying, “Mzee has approved my plan to close both NTV and Monitor. We are moving immediately!”, with Mzee referring to Yoweri Museveni, Uganda’s longtime leader and the General’s father.
Barely two hours later, the Ugandan CDF posted again writing “NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” as security forces moved swiftly to block the entrances of the media houses.
Muhoozi’s tirade against free press
The military boss did not hide his reasons for switching off the signals. He made it clear that the government wants total control over what the public gets to see and read. In his follow-up posts, he warned that neither station would open anytime soon without his direct clearance.
“In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” Muhoozi posted, a statement that immediately sparked outrage across the East African community.
Muhoozi is already famous for making headlines with his raw online comments, but taking physical military action is a major step up. Right now, independent journalism across the border is facing its toughest test yet.
