Members of Parliament on Tuesday expressed alarm about the state of media freedom and democracy in the country after journalists from Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda were barred from covering parliamentary proceedings. NMG is the biggest independent media house in Uganda with a footprint that includes Daily Monitor, The East African and Ennyanda newspapers; NTV and Spark TV television stations; KFM and Dembe FM radio stations, as well as the country’s biggest news websites and social media platforms.
Butambala County MP Muwanga Kivumbi (NUP) raised the matter on the floor of Parliament during the afternoon plenary session, a few hours after journalists from NMG newsrooms were summarily denied entry into the House, with some threatened with arrest. ‘I understand this morning, one of the credible TV stations, the NTV which is accredited to cover this Parliament, was stopped from entering this Parliament and their accreditation was nearly cancelled,” MP Kivumbi said.
He added: ‘I understand the circumstances come from a few reports they have had, which are uncomfortable to some members in this House, but it is their right. Honourable Speaker, as we go towards election, tolerance and respect for freedom is very critical no matter how uncomfortable it is, they have a right to say so. So, honourable Speaker, as the head of institution, I would like to bring it to your attention, it is a national concern, it happened this morning. This is a people’s House, which we fundamentally think that the media should access.’
The MP did not give details about the reports he cited. By press time, it was unclear whether he was referring to critical reporting about the unclear manner in which the would-be opponents of Speaker Annet Anita Among in the Bukedea Woman MP race had been blocked or withdrew their candidatures. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, presiding, promised to investigate the matter. ‘I will cross-check with the clerk [to Parliament], but all I know is that we have a process of accreditation and why we have a process of accreditation, it means you pass through certain criteria so that is done administratively, and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker do not participate in it,’ he said.
‘In fact, I need to interest myself in the guidelines, the dos and don’ts. But I will cross-check with the clerk to see if it is true, [and] what could have prompted it,’ he added. The current accreditation of journalists to cover Parliament runs until December 2025. Parliament’s Director of Communication and Public Affairs Chris Obore, also a former journalist at NMG-Uganda, said he was not in the House when the NMG journalists were barred, but had been briefed about the incident.
‘I have seen on the floor that NMG has not been allowed to cover Parliament, but I have asked, and I have been told that it is security that is responsible, not us [Parliament],’ he said.
‘NMG has not been banned, they were just stopped from covering the session. I have been told that security is investigating a certain issue, which I am not privy to,’ he said. The House spokesperson said he was not aware of how long the restriction on NMG journalists covering the House would last. Other MPs used the moment to challenge and ask for details about ongoing and irregular restrictions imposed on NMG Uganda journalists in the coverage of public events, especially those where security is provided by the Special Forces Command and where the President is in attendance.
‘They have been restricted; they cannot cover the President. I do not know if this is a particular effort to strangle that media house,’ Kira Municipality MP Ssemujju Nganda, a former journalist at Daily Monitor, weighed in. He added: ‘Can the minister responsible for Information clear this, if there is a crime NMG committed, for all of us and the country to know? Because when you are stopped from covering the President, now Parliament follows, we do not know if there will be a declaration to have that media house closed, especially in this election period.’ In response, Deputy Speaker Tayebwa said: ‘On the issues of NMG, if it is the President, the minister for Presidency will come here if we have so much interest in that. But for the presidential candidate, you choose who to cover you.’
Media blackout
Since March 2025, NMG journalists have not been allowed to cover events involving the President. No official explanation has been given, although the unofficial ban started a few days after the media house withdrew its journalists from the Kawempe North by-election after they were targeted by security agents, physically assaulted, and their equipment destroyed. Since then, the journalists have been disinvited and disaccredited from covering the President’s public engagements, including the State-of-the-Nation Address and the Budget Day event in June.
Parliament had earlier requested accredited media houses, including NMG to submit a list of journalists to cover the events. However, the final list released by Parliament excluded NMG reporters, and no explanation was provided. In June, the government, through Parliament, declined to accredit NMG Uganda to cover the President’s State-of-the Nation Address at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
The State-of-the-Nation Address is an annual event during which the President presents key updates on the economy, rule of law, human rights, and other national indicators. Journalists from the media house have also been barred from officially covering the NRM presidential candidate’s campaign rallies, and some reporters upcountry have complained of being harassed by security personnel even when they attend the rallies in their individual capacities.
Holding steadfast
Tuesday’s parliamentary plenary session had convened to, among other matters, receive new regulations governing political parties under the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue and to approve government’s resolution to borrow over Shs8 trillion from various development banks and partners to finance several activities. The chaos of the Kawempe North by-election campaigns on March 12, 2025, coincided with a sitting of Parliament which passed a Shs4.2 trillion supplementary budget for the Financial Year 2024/2025, which included generous handouts to controversial projects, including Inspire Africa Coffee, the Lubowa Specialised Hospital, and Atiak Sugar Factory.
Mr Allan Chekwech, the managing editor of NMG Uganda, yesterday defended the media house’s role. ‘We have a civic responsibility to inform Ugandans on important matters such as the State-of-the-Nation Address, Parliament and all public entities. Even when we aren’t allowed, we have made a decision to cover the sessions otherwise. And we will continue to have a decent analysis of all events across all our platforms,’ he said. ‘We will continue doing quality journalism, especially on public interest matters where accountability and use of taxpayer money are concerned. We, by no means, seek to cause economic sabotage to the country when holding those in power to account.’
Reactions to a story
How government officials reacted to Daily Monitor’s cover headline ‘Goodbye rule of law, till we meet again’ following the passage of the UPDF Amendment Bill, 2025, which reinstated the trial of civilians in military courts.
Quotes
‘Today’s headline by the Monitor Newspaper is unacceptable. Despite my counsel to their top management regarding yesterday’s offensive headline, the paper continues to act with impunity. The media ought to be objective and should always observe minimum broadcasting standards,’ Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of ICT and National Guidance on the social media platform, X, on May 21, 2025.
‘ASSAULT ON DEMOCRACY by the untouchable Monitor. Does the Monitor know that we have Parliament, which is constitutionally mandated to pass laws? Well, somebody tells me that the Monitor is the mouthpiece of the opposition – more so NUP. I wish them the best of luck,’ Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said on the same platform on the same day.