Uganda: Democratic Front Demands Immediate Reopening of NMG

Lead

The Democratic Front, a Ugandan political party, has called for the immediate and unconditional reopening of all Nation Media Group (NMG) outlets following a military operation that disrupted the company's television, radio, and newspaper operations on the night of June 28, 2026. The operation, which targeted NMG's premises in Namuwongo and at the Kampala Serena International Conference Centre, forced NTV Uganda and Spark TV off air, silenced Dembe FM and KFM, and interrupted publication of the Daily Monitor newspaper. The party's statement, reported by AllAfrica, described the shutdown as a violation of constitutional guarantees on freedom of expression and press freedom.

According to NMG's own statement, cited in AllAfrica's reporting, the facility was made inaccessible and electricity was cut, with the operation beginning at about 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. The company's premises on Plots 29/35, 8th Street, Industrial Area, Namuwongo, and at the Serena Conference Centre were occupied; staff were reportedly prevented from entering or leaving. AllAfrica reports that the army operation was confirmed by the post of the Chief of Defence Forces.

Coverage Comparison

The three AllAfrica reports on the incident agree on the core sequence: the overnight military action, the forced shutdown of the outlets, and the subsequent political condemnations. However, the reports present the same events with different emphasis. One report focuses on the disruption to media operations, detailing NMG's own account of the raid and the timing of the closures. Another report is dedicated to the reaction of the National Unity Platform (NUP), which portrayed the shutdown as a blunt attack on press freedom. A third report, carrying the Democratic Liberation's response, offers a constitutional framing, arguing the military action contravenes specific clauses of Uganda's 1995 Constitution.

This difference in emphasis reflects the sources each report draws on. The source text from AllAfrica that quotes NMG keeps a neutral tone, concentrating on operational facts. A second report highlights the vivid language of the NUP, such as its references to "tyranny" and "a primitive attack on press freedom," while the third report, written around the Democratic Front's condemnation, focuses on the relevant constitutional articles. Despite these contrasts in approach, the factual base is consistent across the three reports.

Key Claims

The following claims are supported by the AllAfrica coverage:

• NMG's premises at Namuwongo and the Kampala Serena Conference Centre were raided by the military in the early hours of June 28, 2026.
• The raid disrupted normal operations: NTV Uganda and Spark TV went off air at about 5:00 a.m., Dembe FM and KFM were silenced, and the Daily Monitor's publication was interrupted.
• The electrical power was disconnected, making the facilities inaccessible.
• The National Association of Broadcasters expressed concern over the suspension of operations.
• The National Unity Platform condemned the closure, calling it an attack on press freedom and the constitutional right to information.
• The Democratic Front, a political party founded in May 2025, cited this as a violation of Article 29(1)(a) and (c) of the Constitution, which protects free speech and media independence.
• In addition, a post by the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said President Museveni approved the closures and stated that "bad stories" about Uganda would need prior approval from his office.

Perspectives

The situation has drawn plural reactions from the involved institutions and officials.

Nation Media Group Uganda – The company's official response described the disruption of its operations and said that it was cooperating with the authorities. In the statement reproduced by AllAfrica, NMG stated that it would continue to serve its audience and that the access to key facilities was temporarily restricted.

Democratic Front – Led by its president, Mathias Mpuuga, the front called the raid a violation of the constitution's provisions on free speech and free press. It argued that no country can flourish without an independent media, and demanded an unconditional re-start of all NMG affairs.

National Unity Plataforma – The NUP, an opposition party, said the closure was an attack on press freedom. In its statement it insisted that the move was done outside any legal framework and described the regime as "committing even worse tyranny than it sought to end when it waged the 1980s war." It pledged solidarity with the affected journalists and staff.

Chief of Defence Forces – In an on his public social media account, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugabe declared that the closure had been cleared by President Museveni. He added that future's "bad stories" about Uganda would first need to get approval from his office before publication.

National Association of Broadcasters – According to AllAfrica, the association expressed concern over the suspended broadcasts and operations of Nation Media Group Uganda, though further details of its statement were not provided in the reports.

These perspectives show the depth of the divide between the military and political branches of the government and the political opposition, with Nation Media Group placed squarely in the middle.