The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with the leadership of Nation Media Group (NMG) at the Special Forces Command (SFC) headquarters in Entebbe to discuss the ongoing closure of the company’s Ugandan media outlets.
The meeting comes days after the shutdown of NMG’s outlets, including NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor, Spark TV, and KFM 93.3, an action that has left thousands of employees uncertain about their future and sparked widespread concern over its impact on Uganda’s media industry.
Among those who attended the meeting were; NMG owner Mr. Rostam Aziz, his son Mr. Saam Aziz, and Ms. Georgia Mutagaywa, Chief of Staff at Taarifa Limited. Also present were veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda and the Acting UPDF/Defence Public Information Director, Col. Chris Magezi.
Although details of the discussions were not immediately disclosed, the meeting is understood to have focused on finding a way forward following the closure of the media outlets and addressing the concerns arising from the development.
The closure of the NMG outlets on Sunday has drawn significant public attention, with concerns raised about its implications for media operations, employment, and access to information. The affected outlets have for years been among Uganda’s leading sources of news and current affairs programming.
Stakeholders are expected to closely follow the outcome of the engagements between the government and Nation Media Group leadership, with hopes that the discussions could pave the way for a resolution.
While addressing media on Tuesday, ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Lumumba Kasule the closure of NMG outlets came as a result of a security-led inquiry instituted by President Museveni. Lumumba offered the first official explanation since security personnel shut down the media house over the weekend.
Neither the government nor Nation Media Group had issued an official statement on the outcome of the meeting by the time of publication. Further updates are expected as more information becomes available.
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