The Ugandan government has set strict conditions for the reopening of Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda operations, including a major editorial overhaul and the hiring of professional editors and journalists committed to objective reporting.
This followed a closed-door meeting at the Special Forces Command (SFC) headquarters in Entebbe between Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and senior NMG executives, including investor Rostam Aziz and his son Saam Aziz.
According to veteran journalist and Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) spokesperson Andrew Mwenda, who attended the meeting, the resumption of operations for Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, and KFM is now conditional on commitments to balanced and professional journalism.
“The government simply wants them to be professional,” Mwenda stated.
“As a core condition of the agreement to move forward, NMG must hire professional editors and recruit professional journalists who will adhere strictly to a mandate of objective reporting.”
Mwenda noted that discussions had been ongoing and that the meeting formalised a path forward, suggesting operations could resume sooner than previously expected if the commitments are met.
During the meeting, Gen. Muhoozi reportedly presented NMG executives with a detailed intelligence file covering five years of content from the group’s platforms.
Authorities cited it as evidence of persistent political bias, claiming that 97% of top cover stories were negative toward the government, often exaggerated, while coverage of the opposition was largely sympathetic.
The shutdown of NMG operations was triggered by the recent controversy surrounding the detention of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, though Mwenda indicated it reflected longer-standing tensions with the state.
Minister of Information Justine Kasule Lumumba has confirmed that President Yoweri Museveni authorised the security deployment that led to the closure of NMG’s Namuwongo offices and transmission hubs.
Gen. Muhoozi is expected to present a formal report on the agreed terms to the President for final approval.
If NMG implements the required editorial restructuring, the suspension is anticipated to be lifted in the coming days.