A simmering standoff is brewing between Uganda’s biggest independent media house, Nation Media Group (NMG-U) and government after security personnel reportedly blocked journalists attached to the company from accessing the precincts of Parliament.
The blockage of NMG-U journalists has since sparked outrage from opposition legislators and renewed concerns over shrinking press space. NMG-U runs Daily Monitor, NTV , The East African newspaper , Ennyanda newspaper , Spark TV ,KFM and Dembe FM radio stations .
On Tuesday the NMG journalists, were allegedly stopped at the main entrance, and their press accreditation tags withdrawn by security officers who cited “instructions not to let them in” but provided no specific reason.
The decision has triggered sharp condemnation from the Opposition, who link the move to NMG-U’s recent reporting on “unopposed candidates” in Parliament — a series that spotlighted the top leadership of the House, including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi decried the incident, calling it an attack on media freedom.
“Information reaching us is that the leadership of Parliament is angry because of the stories NTV has been running about ‘unopposed candidates,’ including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. What a shame!” Ssenyonyi posted on his X (formerly Twitter) .
On the floor of Parliament, Acting Leader of the Opposition Muwanga Kivumbi demanded an official explanation, urging the Speaker to protect the independence of the press.
“Mr Speaker, the House must take action to ensure media independence and press freedom are not suffocated,” Kivumbi stated.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, in response, distanced Parliament’s top leadership from the decision and pledged to follow up on the matter.
“First, the Speaker and Deputy are not involved in the accreditation process of the media. But we shall take interest in the matter, though I’m more interested in understanding the regulation under which they are accredited,” Tayebwa said.
He added, “On the withdrawal of NTV accreditation, it comes as news to me, and I will follow up.”
Adding his voice, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, himself a former journalist, called for a ministerial explanation, suggesting that the move could be part of a wider effort to silence critical media.
“I worked at Monitor before I came here. NTV can’t cover the President — I don’t know if that’s not deliberate to strangle Nation Media. Can we get an explanation from the Minister on what crimes Nation Media has committed, if any?” Ssemujju asked.
The incident has reignited debate over the independence of the Ugandan Parliament’s communication department and the treatment of journalists covering legislative affairs.
In past seven months NMG journalists have been barred from covering events where President Museveni is the chief guest. NMG management says neither State House nor government has come out officially to explain this ban. Despite all these, NMG outlets have continued to cover Museveni by running footage and press statements generated by State House Press Unit . President Museveni has repeatedly described particularly Daily Monitor as a “bad paper” pushing for interests of foreigners who don’t wish his government well –an allegation the paper management has squarely dismissed saying they are simply playing their civic duty of informing Ugandans on important matters and holding those in authority accountable . The latest standoff started just days after NMG withdrew its staff from covering the chaotic Kawempe North by-election in March where the Army went on rampage, beating and maiming people mostly those perceived to be opposition supporters. NMG management said then that their journalists were reportedly being targeted by security operatives, physically assaulted and some had their equipment dismantled.
Political observers warn that the exclusion of NMG-U , one of Uganda’s leading media outlets , could set a troubling precedent for press freedom and transparency ahead the country gears towards the January General Election .This is not the first time NMG is at a collision course with the State . In 2013 , government closed Daily Monitor and its sister radio stations (KFM and Dembe FM on the pretext of searching for a letter written by General David Sejusa, the Coordinator of Intelligence Services. Sejusa, commonly known as Tinyefuza, alleged a plan by President Yoweri Museveni political and military officers opposed to his maneuvers to fast-track his son, Brigadier Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to the presidency. The letter, written on April 29,2013 was first published by Daily Monitor on May 7,2013. The media outlets were reopened 10 days later NMG executives from Nairobi met President Museveni .Seven years earlier in 2007, government had also closed NTV over what the then information minister Ali Kivejinja termed as “simple administrative matter”.