Ugandan President’s Son Orders "Military Siege" on Media.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, widely seen as a potential successor to his father as president, ordered a "military siege" on Uganda’s leading independent media group, according to the Daily Monitor. Armed soldiers were stationed outside the newspaper’s headquarters in Kampala, and both NTV and Spark TV were taken off air.
Gen. The outlets are part of Nation Media Group, one of the most influential media companies in East Africa.
The president’s son said he did not believe in a free press as military personnel were deployed to the media offices. Muhoozi Kainerugaba stated on Sunday that the Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda were being shut down and would not reopen without his permission. Both outlets are owned by the Nation Media Group conglomerate.
According to Kainerugaba, he has had the "power to shut down any media house I want to" since 2017, when his father, President Yoweri Museveni, granted him that authority. He added that the press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.
Kainerugaba is seen as the likely successor to his father, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, and is known for controversial social media posts. President Museveni, 81, won a record seventh term in disputed elections in January, amid speculation that he is grooming his son to succeed him. The government previously shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days in 2013, and in 2007 NTV Uganda was taken off air months after its launch following government criticism.