Following the forced closure of at least six media outlets in Uganda on June 28, 2026 and the arbitrary arrest and detention of scores of human rights activists on the orders of Uganda’s military chief and President Museveni’s son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa Tigere Chagutah said:
“The president’s son continues his unchecked and unjust campaign of harassment and intimidation of independent media and civil society. These latest attacks on media outlets are emblematic of years-long crackdown on freedoms of expression and association in Uganda.
“The military must immediately withdraw from the offices of all media outlets targeted in this disturbing crackdown and immediately cease any interference, intimidation or acts of repression against journalists.
“Authorities must end the erosion of human rights in the country. They must stop subjecting activists to baseless investigations, end the misuse of the criminal justice system to target perceived government critics, and free all those who have been arbitrarily arrested and detained, including Kizza Besigye, Erias Lukwago and Miria Matembe”.
Background
On the night of June 28, 2026, President Museveni’s son and military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba ordered the shutdown of the Daily Monitor newspaper, NTV, Dembe FM, Spark TV, KFM, and The East African, with no justification for the decision.
On June 24, security agents raided the Kampala home of veteran politician Miria Matembe who had called out the military chief for human rights violations in Uganda. On June 28, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba confirmed that he had detained her.
On June 25, the offices of a feminist NGO Akina Mama wa Africa (AMWA) in Kampala were raided by security agents. Its Executive Director, Eunice Musiime, was arbitrarily arrested on June 28, alongside Sarah Bireete, the Executive Director of Center for Constitutional Governance. They were later freed without being charged with any offense.
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