Security personnel raided Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises in Namuwongo early Sunday morning, forcing NTV Uganda and Spark TV off air amid a dramatic crackdown that also disrupted the company’s radio stations.
By 6:00 am local time, viewers attempting to access the two television stations were met with blank screens carrying the message: “Video unavailable.”
The Daily Monitor later confirmed that the stations had gone off air following an overnight security operation at the media house and Kampala Serena Hotel.
Staff at the premises reported that security officers sealed off the compound shortly after midnight, preventing anyone from entering or leaving. Roads leading to the NMG offices were also blocked, while power to parts of the facility was reportedly switched off.
The disruption appeared to extend to NMG’s radio operations, with listeners reporting that 93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM were inaccessible on their frequencies.
The developments came hours after Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, announced on X that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down.
“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote shortly after 1:00am.
In a subsequent post, he added: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”
He also claimed that President Yoweri Museveni had approved the move, posting: “Mzee has approved my plan to close both NTV and Monitor. We are moving immediately!”
Nation Media Group Uganda is one of the country’s largest media organisations and owns NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, KFM, Dembe FM and several other media platforms.
As of Sunday morning, neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) had issued an official statement explaining the operation or announcing any legal action against the broadcaster.