Muhoozi agrees to reopen NTV, Monitor

Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has agreed to reopen Nation Media Group media outlets including NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor, hours after they were raided by security and forced shut.

The development was announced by Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) spokesperson Andrew Mwenda following a discussion with the CDF.

Mwenda said the media outlets would resume operations after talks with their management.

"I have just held discussions with Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and we, as leaders of PLU, have agreed that we shall reopen both Daily Monitor and NTV soon."

"However, we shall first have discussions with the management of both sister companies. I will inform them when we can have this meeting," Mwenda posted.

The announcement came less than a day after security personnel deployed at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda's offices in Namuwongo and at the Serena Hotel, where part of the broadcaster's transmission infrastructure is located.

The operation forced NTV Uganda and Spark TV off air in the early hours of Sunday. KFM and Dembe FM also experienced interruptions.

The shutdown followed a series of posts on X by Gen Kainerugaba declaring that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be closed.

"NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!" he wrote shortly after 1am.

He later added: "Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission."

The developments sparked concern from media stakeholders.

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) said it was engaging the Ministry of ICT, the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Chief of Defence Forces to seek clarification and an amicable resolution.

UCC executive director Nyombi Thembo later said the regulator had begun consultations with relevant government stakeholders to establish the circumstances that led to NMG's outlets going off air.