Uganda’s army chief has ordered the closure of several media outlets, a move swiftly condemned by the British government as an unprecedented attack on press freedom. The closures, announced late yesterday, target four independent news organisations that have been critical of the government’s handling of the economy and ongoing corruption scandals.
For ordinary Ugandans, the crackdown threatens to silence the few voices that hold power to account. “This is a dark day for democracy,” said Margaret Nakato, a Kampala-based journalist whose radio station was among those shut. “People already struggle to afford basics like maize flour and cooking oil. Now they won’t even know why.”
Britain’s Foreign Secretary described the move as “a direct assault on the right to information and the fundamental freedoms that underpin any healthy society.” In a statement, the Foreign Office said it was reviewing bilateral aid and would raise the issue at the United Nations.
The closures come as Uganda faces mounting economic pressure. Inflation has pushed food prices beyond the reach of many families. Unions have warned of growing unrest if the government does not address the cost of living crisis. “When you shut down newspapers, you don’t make the problems go away,” said trade unionist Paul Okello. “You just make people angrier.”
The army chief, General David Muhoozi, defended the closures, claiming the outlets were “inciting violence” and “spreading false information” that could destabilise the country. But critics say the real motive is to silence dissent ahead of controversial constitutional changes that could extend the president’s rule.
The International Press Institute has called for immediate reversal of the order, warning that Uganda risks returning to the dark days of Idi Amin’s media purges. For now, radio stations that once broadcast news of rising fuel prices and vanishing jobs are silent. And in the markets of Kampala, people are left to wonder who will speak for them next. “We need information as much as we need bread,” said Nakato. “Without one, the other is meaningless.”
