It is a dark day in Kampala. Uganda's army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has ordered the shutdown of four major media houses. The Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Radio One, and Akaboozi FM are all off air. Their offices are surrounded by soldiers. Journalists are being turned away at gunpoint.
The move is unprecedented. These outlets are the last bastions of independent reporting in Museveni's Uganda. They have been critical of the regime. The general's father, President Yoweri Museveni, has ruled for 38 years. This is his son flexing his muscles. A power play dressed up as national security.
Downing Street is furious. A Foreign Office source tells me they are 'gravely concerned'. The official statement calls it a 'direct assault on press freedom'. It warns of 'consequences' but offers no specifics. British diplomats in Kampala are scrambling for more details. They know this changes the game.
Why now? Sources on the ground point to a recent corruption exposé. The Daily Monitor published a story linking the army chief to a dodgy land deal. The general denied everything. But the damage was done. This is revenge. Pure and simple.
There are wider implications. Uganda is a key Western ally in the Horn of Africa. It contributes troops to AMISOM in Somalia. The UK gives millions in aid each year. That relationship is now under strain. Backbench MPs are already calling for aid cuts. Sir Iain Duncan Smith tells me this is 'not acceptable behaviour from a partner nation'. The Foreign Affairs Committee will hold an emergency session tomorrow.
Let's be clear: This is not just about four media outlets. It is about the rule of law. About the space for dissent. Museveni has been tightening the screws for years. This is a new level of repression. The son is more ruthless than the father. And he is positioning himself for succession.
The opposition is emboldened. Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, is calling for protests. He was arrested and tortured in 2020. He knows the risks. But he says this is a line they must not cross. The streets of Kampala are tense. We are watching.
What happens next? The general will not back down easily. He has the guns. But he has also unified his enemies. Civil society, opposition, even some moderate members of the ruling party are aghast. A backbench revolt is brewing. The British government will have to choose. Stand by a friend who betrays its values? Or make a stand?
I will have more on this as it develops. The lobby is buzzing. This is not over.
