10/30/2025
~ T.K Media UG
Bobi Wine
We have noted with great concern the disturbing news that journalists from the Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, and other media platforms under the Nation Media Group have been unilaterally blocked from accessing and covering Parliament, in addition to their earlier ban from covering any activities involving dictator Museveni. We strongly condemn this unconstitutional action, and urge the leadership of Parliament to immediately reverse it.
While no formal justification has been given for the ban, we have reason to believe that it is a retaliatory measure against the Nation Media Group for news stories that it has published of recent exposing the blatant abuse of power and corruption of ongoing electoral processes by the disgraceful Annet Anita Among and other 'leaders' at Parliament.
The ban is not just a cowardly attack on the Ugandan people’s right to know how they are governed, but also an unjustified assault on Article 29 of our Constitution which guarantees the twin freedoms of speech and the press. It represents yet another desperate attempt by the regime, acting through Anita Among, to silence the truth and shield itself from public scrutiny.
The clampdown on independent media has gone beyond bans: journalists have also been repeatedly beaten (like the case was during the Kawempe by-election) and threatened just for doing their jobs. Clearly, these attacks are not isolated incidents but part of a systematic effort by the regime to instill fear and force self-censorship in the media. Targeting journalists in this violent and brazen manner is intended to send a clear message to them to "back off!".
Having spent years abusing state power to muzzle dissenting voices of opposition leaders, members of the civil society, artistes, religious leaders, etc, the regime is now treating journalists as enemies of the state just for doing their constitutional duty. By banning independent media from covering public activities funded by taxpayers and beating those who dare to report the truth, the regime is openly admitting that it has something to hide. In so doing, it forgets that no regime, however powerful it imagines itself to be, can win a war against the truth forever.
We stand in full solidarity with the brave journalists of Nation Media Group, and all other media practitioners in Uganda who continue to report the truth despite the serious risk of personal and professional harm they face for doing so.
As the National Unity Platform, we reaffirm our commitment to defending media freedom and protecting all journalists.
