Negotiations are ongoing to reopen several Ugandan media outlets that were closed by the military over the weekend, Nation Media Group’s Uganda managing director confirmed Tuesday.
Susan Nsibirwa said “negotiations are ongoing at different levels” to restore access to offices for staff of the Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, KFM, Dembe FM, Spark TV, and The East African. Military personnel continue to surround the NMG-U headquarters in Kampala, leaving employees unable to enter.
The outlets were shut down on Sunday on orders from Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief and President Yoweri Museveni’s son. Kainerugaba initially said the stations would not reopen without his permission, but later posted on X that discussions about reopening were in progress.
Uganda’s ICT Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba linked the closures to a security-led inquiry ordered by President Museveni. She said the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, police, and other agencies are involved in the investigation.
While talks continue, the shutdown has drawn criticism. Amnesty International called it part of a broader campaign against independent media. U.S. Senator Jim Risch also said the U.S. should review its security partnership with Uganda over the crackdown on press freedom.
NMG is headquartered in Kenya and is one of East Africa’s largest media groups. The company has not given a timeline for when the outlets might resume broadcasting or publishing.
