KAMPALA, Uganda — Soldiers were sent to enforce the shutdown of a prominent news organization’s offices in Uganda’s capital on Sunday, acting on orders from the country’s military chief, who declared that all media outlets in the East African nation “will follow the rules.”
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the eldest son of President Yoweri Museveni, has held the position of top military commander since 2024. In the days following Museveni’s swearing-in for a seventh straight term, Kainerugaba has issued a string of directives typically associated with a head of state, signaling a tightening of his personal authority.
Troops appeared outside the Kampala offices of the Daily Monitor newspaper early Sunday morning. The publication is owned by Nation Media Group, a company headquartered in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
Taking to X — his go-to platform for public statements — Kainerugaba made his position clear: “I have the power in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I want to. I have had this power since 2017. This power was given to me by my great father.”
He followed that with a blunt warning: “From now on ALL media in Uganda will follow the rules!”
Beyond the Daily Monitor, Kainerugaba said his closure order also applied to local television broadcaster NTV, another outlet operating under the Nation Media Group umbrella.
The National Association of Broadcasters released a statement confirming that at least six publishing and broadcasting organizations — all belonging to Nation Media Group — had been forced to close. “We are deeply concerned about this action and its impact on the media ecosystem,” the group said.
Kainerugaba has openly stated his intention to succeed his father as president, a prospect that appears increasingly realistic as the 81-year-old leader leans more heavily on his son’s military clout.
Earlier this month, Kainerugaba took action against a well-known attorney who had attempted to hold him accountable over his alleged involvement in rights violations against opposition figure Kizza Besigye. Besigye was taken into custody in Nairobi in 2024 and has since faced treason charges that he contends are politically motivated. His lawyer, Erias Lukwago, was removed from his home and later charged with an offense connected to concealing treason.
Museveni has governed Uganda since 1986 and has given no indication of when he plans to step down. With no serious challengers within the ruling party, many observers believe the military will play a decisive role in determining who leads the country next.
Those close to Kainerugaba describe him as a disciplined military figure who avoids showy displays of wealth and takes a hard stance against government corruption. He received his military training at schools in the United States and Britain before taking command of a presidential guard unit that has since grown into an elite special forces organization. Outside of his military role, he founded a political activist group called the Patriotic League of Uganda, whose supporters and members include figures ranging from the parliamentary speaker to government ministers.
