Ugandan army chief orders the closure of a major news platform

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The offices of a major news organization in Uganda were shut down on the orders of the military chief, who warned Sunday that all media “will follow the rules" while asserting his authority as the East African country's de facto ruler.

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the eldest son of President Yoweri Museveni, has served as the top military commander since 2024. In recent days, after Museveni was sworn in for a seventh consecutive term, Kainerugaba has strengthened his grip with a series of directives and orders usually reserved for the head of state.

Soldiers were deployed outside the Kampala offices of the Daily Monitor newspaper early Sunday. The paper is part of the Nation Media Group of companies whose headquarters is in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

“I have the power in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I want to,” Kainerugaba wrote on X, his preferred channel of communication. "I have had this power since 2017. This power was given to me by my great father.”

He added: “From now on ALL media in Uganda will follow the rules!”

The army chief said that in addition to Daily Monitor, his closure directive also targeted local broadcaster NTV, part of Nation Media Group.

The National Association of Broadcasters said in a statement that at least six publishing and broadcasting outlets — all under Nation Media Group — were closed. “We are deeply concerned about this action and its impact on the media ecosystem,” the statement said.

Kainerugaba asserts that he will succeed his father in the presidency, an increasingly likely possibility as the 81-year-old statesman now relies heavily on his son’s military authority.

Earlier this month, Kainerugaba retaliated against a prominent attorney who sought to hold him accountable for his alleged role in the violation of the rights of opposition leader Kizza Besigye. He was seized in Nairobi in 2024, and has since been imprisoned on treason charges he says are politically motivated. Besigye's attorney, Erias Lukwago, was taken from his house and later charged with an offense related to the concealment of treason.

Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has not said when he will retire. He has no rivals within the ruling party, the reason many believe the military will have a say in choosing his successor.

Kainerugaba’s associates describe him as a dedicated military officer who often eschews ostentatious displays of wealth. They say he opposes official corruption and would punish it heavily as president.

He attended military schools in the U.S. and Britain before taking charge of a presidential guard unit that has since been expanded into an elite group of special forces. In addition to his military duties, he is the founder of a political activist group known as the Patriotic League of Uganda. Its members and well-wishers range from the parliamentary speaker to government ministers.