Ugandan military chief orders closure of key data media locations of work

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — The locations of work of a vital data organization in Uganda had been shut down on the orders of the militia chief, who warned Sunday that each one media “will tell the foundations” while asserting his authority as the East African nation’s de facto ruler.

Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the eldest son of President Yoweri Museveni, has served as the atomize militia commander since 2024. In fresh days, after Museveni was once sworn in for a seventh consecutive time-frame, Kainerugaba has bolstered his grip with a series of directives and orders customarily reserved for the head of relate.

Squaddies had been deployed open air the Kampala locations of work of the Day to day Show screen newspaper early Sunday. The paper is portion of the Nation Media Community of corporations whose headquarters is in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

“I beget the energy in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I have to,” Kainerugaba wrote on X, his preferred channel of dialog. “I beget had this energy since 2017. This energy was once given to me by my monumental father.”

He added: “To any extent extra ALL media in Uganda will tell the foundations!”

The military chief mentioned that along with Day to day Show screen, his closure directive additionally targeted local broadcaster NTV, portion of Nation Media Community.

The Nationwide Association of Broadcasters mentioned in a assertion that at the least six publishing and broadcasting outlets — all below Nation Media Community — had been closed. “We’re deeply fascinated about this action and its impact on the media ecosystem,” the assertion mentioned.

Kainerugaba asserts that he’ll prevail his father within the presidency, an an increasing form of likely likelihood as the 81-one year-mature chief now relies carefully on his son’s militia authority.

Earlier this month, Kainerugaba retaliated in opposition to a prominent criminal skilled who sought to defend him to blame for his alleged fair within the violation of the rights of opposition chief Kizza Besigye. He was once seized in Nairobi in 2024, and has since been imprisoned on treason charges he says are politically motivated. Besigye’s criminal skilled, Erias Lukwago, was once taken from his house and later charged with an offense connected to the concealment of treason.

Museveni, who has dominated Uganda since 1986, has not mentioned when he’ll retire. He has no opponents interior the ruling safe together, the motive many beget the militia will beget a instruct in picking his successor.

Kainerugaba’s associates explain him as a devoted militia officer who customarily eschews ostentatious shows of wealth. They are saying he opposes unswerving corruption and would punish it carefully as president.

He attended militia faculties within the U.S. and Britain before taking payment of a presidential guard unit that has since been expanded into an elite neighborhood of special forces. As well to his militia duties, he’s the founding father of a political activist neighborhood identified as the Patriotic League of Uganda. Its participants and effectively-wishers differ from the parliamentary speaker to govt ministers.