Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Jim Risch /X
States senator has called for a review of Washington's security relationship with Uganda following the closure of three media outlets by Uganda's Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jim Risch, criticised the move, saying attacks on press freedom undermine Uganda's credibility as a security partner.
In a statement posted on X, Risch said the United States should reconsider its military cooperation with Uganda in light of Gen. Muhoozi's latest actions.
"The U.S. needs to review its security relationship with Uganda. Gen. @mkainerugaba's attacks on free speech, including shuttering major media houses this weekend, make him and the UPDF unfit partners," Risch said.
He added that the United States should prioritise partnerships with countries that strengthen regional stability while upholding democratic values.
"We should only work with those who advance regional security, not diminish it," he said.
Risch's remarks come after Gen. Muhoozi ordered the closure of three Ugandan media outlets, a move that has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates and international observers over concerns about freedom of expression and media independence in the country.
On June 28, the country's military reportedly shut down Nation Media Group (NMG) broadcast and print operations in Uganda, following an order issued by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The dramatic move saw NTV Uganda, Spark TV, and the Daily Monitor forced off air and their operations disrupted after armed security personnel surrounded the company's premises in Namuwongo, Kampala, as well as the Kampala Serena Hotel.
Muhoozi, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, announced the directive through his official social media account on June 28, declaring that the media houses would cease operations immediately.
"NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today," Gen Muhoozi posted.
The announcement came hours after he had warned that the two media outlets required President Museveni's clearance before they could continue operating.
According to reports from the Daily Monitor, heavily armed security personnel were deployed shortly after midnight, sealing off Nation Media Group's offices and preventing staff from entering or leaving the premises.
The overnight operation effectively crippled the broadcaster's television services, with viewers of NTV Uganda and its sister station Spark TV waking up to blank screens displaying the message "video unavailable."
NTV Uganda later confirmed the disruption, saying its broadcasts had gone dark by around 5 am local time on Sunday.
The station also shared images showing soldiers stationed outside its offices while confirming that its operations had been halted.
