Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced the closure of two of the country’s leading media organisations, saying he does not support a free press.

Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, said on Sunday that the Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s leading private television stations, would remain closed until he authorises their reopening.

“In Uganda, I do not believe in a free press. The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution,” Kainerugaba wrote in a series of posts on X.

The military chief did not state the reasons behind the directive. The affected outlets are owned by Kenya-based Nation Media Group (NMG), a regional media company listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

According to the Daily Monitor, military personnel were deployed to NMG’s offices in Kampala on Sunday, preventing employees from entering or leaving the premises. The newspaper also reported that NTV Uganda and the company’s other television and radio stations across the country had gone off air.

Uganda’s government spokesperson, Alan Kasujja, did not immediately comment on the development, while NMG Uganda Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa also declined to provide an immediate response.

Kainerugaba has frequently drawn attention for his outspoken and often controversial social media posts. Widely viewed as a potential successor to President Museveni, he has previously made inflammatory remarks directed at political opponents, including opposition leader Bobi Wine.

The latest move has renewed concerns over media freedom in Uganda. In 2013, the government shut down the Daily Monitor for 10 days following its publication of reports related to President Museveni’s succession plans. Museveni has been in power since 1986.