Kampala, Uganda: Government has confirmed that the disruption of operations at Nation Media Group (NMG) on June 28 was part of an ongoing security-led inquiry instituted by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, June 30, two days since the Namuwongo-based media group was put under military siege, the Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Hon Justine Lumumba Kasule, said the operation that affected NMG’s media platforms, including NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor, Spark TV and Dembe FM, was occasioned by a presidentially sanctioned security investigation.
“The events of 28th June 2026 that led to the disruption of operations at Nation Media Group were occasioned by a Security-Led Inquiry, instituted by H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda,” the statement reads.
According to Hon Lumumba, the inquiry brings together multiple security and investigative agencies. “The inquiry involves the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Criminal Investigations Directorate of the Uganda Police Force, other security agencies and experts,” her statement adds.
The statement from the ICT ministry marks the first official explanation from the government since heavily armed security personnel surrounded Nation Media Group’s premises in Namuwongo, Kampala, in the early hours of Sunday, June 28, forcing the suspension of normal broadcasting and newspaper production.
Following the operation, Nation Media Group Uganda announced that access to its headquarters had been blocked after what it described as an overnight military raid that resulted in electricity disconnection and disruption of operations across its television, radio and newspaper platforms.
Despite the disruption, the company said it would continue serving audiences through its digital platforms while awaiting restoration of normal operations.
The latest government clarification follows several developments surrounding the matter, including remarks by Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who linked the operation to national security concerns in a series of posts on X. Those remarks fuelled widespread public debate over the circumstances surrounding the security deployment.
On Monday, veteran journalist and Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Central Executive Committee member Andrew Mwenda disclosed that discussions were underway with Gen. Muhoozi regarding the reopening of NTV Uganda and Daily Monitor.
Mwenda said PLU leaders had agreed to engage the management of the affected media houses, while Gen. Muhoozi later indicated that consultations were also being held with what he described as Uganda’s “allies in the UK and Europe,” with the outcome expected to be presented to President Museveni for final approval.
The NMG shutdown has drawn reactions from media organisations, civil society groups, legal bodies, and political actors, many of whom have expressed concern over press freedom and access to information.
With the government now confirming that the operation forms part of an ongoing security inquiry, attention shifts to the findings of the investigation and any subsequent decisions regarding the full resumption of Nation Media Group’s operations.
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