Ugandan authorities ban Nation Media Group from parliamentary, presidential coverage

Kampala, October 30, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Ugandan authorities to lift restrictions barring the privately owned Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U) from covering parliament and presidential events, and to ensure that journalists can report freely and in the public interest ahead of the country’s January 2026 elections.

“Blocking journalists from reporting on the legislature and the presidency reflects the Ugandan government’s aversion to independent scrutiny and poses serious threats to press freedom as the country prepares for elections in January,” said CPJ Africa Regional Director Angela Quintal. “Authorities must immediately lift all restrictions on Nation Media Group-Uganda journalists and guarantee full media access for public institutions.”

On Tuesday and Wednesday, security personnel in the capital Kampala barred reporters with the NMG-U-owned NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor news sites from entering parliament grounds, citing unspecified “instructions not to let them in,” according to media reports. A journalist who spoke to CPJ on condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns, said the officers were “following orders” and referred them to Chris Obore, Parliament’s director of communication and public affairs.

In a telephone interview, Obore told CPJ the move was not a ban, saying security has some issues that “must be addressed” before the journalist can continue coverage. He said a formal ban could only be issued through his office. 

Since March, NMG-U journalists have also been denied access to cover President Yoweri Museveni’s events, according to a report by the Daily Monitor and a statement by the group. The Daily Monitor reported that the move came days after the media group withdrew its journalists from covering a by-election in Kampala, citing safety concerns after security personnel assaulted and arrested  journalists.

Sandor Walusimbi, President Museveni’s senior press secretary, declined to comment on the matter in a phone call with CPJ. Farouk Kirunda, the deputy presidential press secretary, said in a post on X that Museveni personally barred NMG-U from covering the presidency over “persistent instances of misreporting.”