Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U) has expressed deep concern over the continued blockade of its journalists from covering the Presidency, and more recently, Parliament. In a strongly-worded statement issued yesterday, Ms Susan Nsibirwa, the NMG-Uganda Managing Director, said the organisation has noted with alarm the Parliament’s decision to block its journalists from covering House proceedings, a move that follows months of exclusion from covering the President of Uganda. ‘The Nation Media Group-Uganda has, with deep concern, noted the decision to block our journalists from covering the Parliament of Uganda. This decision follows months-long blockade on our journalists from covering the President of Uganda,’ Ms Nsibirwa stated.
She revealed that no formal communication had been issued to explain the reasons behind the blockade, nor had the company been informed of any contraventions that its journalists might have committed. Ms Nsibirwa reminded the authorities that press freedom and access to information are not privileges but constitutional rights guaranteed under the 1995 Constitution of Uganda. ‘These rights are not favours. They are enshrined in the 1995 Constitution of Uganda that was enacted 30 years ago this month and are at the heart of the rule of law and good manners upon which free and democratic societies are built,’ she noted.
The statement emphasised that both the Presidency and Parliament are public institutions funded by taxpayers and are accountable to citizens. Denying access to independent media, she said, violates the spirit of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, media, and expression. The media group said the blockade denies citizens their constitutional right to know what their elected leaders are doing in their name, thereby undermining accountability, transparency, and good governance.
Beating the odds
Despite the ban by the Presidency that began in March, Ms Nsibirwa said NMG journalists have continued covering the President and serving the public diligently by providing news that informs, educates, and entertains. The media house further noted that its journalists have increasingly been turned into targets of repression and violence, citing incidents during the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election in March, and the ongoing presidential campaigns. She warned that the latest decision by Parliament compounds what appears to be a growing climate of intolerance and restriction of media freedom in Uganda.
The NMG-U reaffirmed its commitment to holding those in power accountable and playing a watchdog role on behalf of the citizens. ‘Independent media like ours seek to hold those in power accountable to citizens, following taxpayer money, reporting on human rights, and the country’s democracy. Playing a watchdog role across government ministries, departments, and agencies is part of that mandate,’ she explained. Reiterating its commitment to bold and responsible journalism, NMG-U asserted it would not abdicate its duty of reporting truthfully and defending constitutional freedoms. ‘We shall not abdicate our responsibility to do bold and thoughtful journalism, and to hold those in power accountable. We shall continue to defend media freedoms and the bill of rights guaranteed by our Constitution, and underpin our constitutional order,’ she noted.
Ms Nsibirwa urged both the Presidency and Parliament to respect the Constitution and allow journalists access to information necessary for their work. ‘We implore the Presidency and Parliament to heed the Constitution of Uganda, which provides for the right to access information, which is vital for our journalists to do their work,’ she said. She reminded Ugandans that a nation that suppresses independent journalism risks losing its democratic fabric. ‘We should always remember that democracy dies in darkness,’ Ms Nsibirwa warned. The standoff between NMG-Uganda journalists and government institutions began in March when reporters from NTV and Daily Monitor were blocked from covering President Museveni’s public events without any official explanation.
The ban later extended to State House activities, leaving the media house unable to directly report on presidential engagements. This week on Monday, Parliament also stopped NMG-U journalists from accessing its precincts, further escalating concerns over shrinking media space in Uganda. Both actions have been widely criticised by press freedom advocates as unconstitutional and contrary to democratic principles. NMG-U, which runs platforms, including NTV Uganda, Spark TV, newspapers Daily Monitor and The East African, and radios KFM, and Dembe FM, has long been known for its investigative and independent reporting.
Intolerance to journalism
The blockade has raised fears that authorities are increasingly becoming intolerant of critical journalism, especially during an election period. Despite the restrictions, NMG-Uganda has continued to report on governance, accountability, and national issues through other means, reaffirming its commitment to serving the public interest and defending press freedom in Uganda.