Nation Media Group–Uganda Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa/FILEThe Nation Media Group–Uganda has protested the decision by Ugandan authorities to bar its journalists from covering proceedings at the Parliament of Uganda.
The media house called the move a blatant attack on press freedom and democratic accountability.
The restriction, which took effect on October 28, 2025, comes months after NMG-U journalists were similarly blocked from covering the President of Uganda, prompting growing concerns about official intolerance toward independent media.
In a statement, Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa expressed deep concern over the continued exclusion of the company’s journalists, saying no formal explanation or justification had been given.
“There has been no formal communication to explain the reasons behind this blockade. We have not been informed of any contraventions that we or our journalists might have committed and have therefore been denied the right of reply or due process,” Nsibirwa said.
She noted that the rights to access information and to freely report are enshrined in the 1995 Constitution of Uganda, which marks its 30th anniversary this month. “These rights are not favours. They are enshrined in the Constitution and are at the heart of the rule of law and good manners upon which free and democratic societies are built,” Nsibirwa emphasised.
The NMG-U chief further reminded authorities that both the Presidency and Parliament are public institutions, funded by taxpayers and accountable to the citizens.
“Denying coverage and access to independent media violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution of Uganda, which guarantees freedom of the press, media, and expression,” she said.
“It also denies citizens the right to know what their elected leaders are doing in their name, undermining accountability, transparency, and good governance.”
Despite the blockade imposed by the Presidency since March 2025, Nsibirwa said NMG-U has remained steadfast in its public service role, continuing to cover the President and national affairs with professionalism and fairness.
She also cited recent incidents of harassment and violence against journalists during the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election and throughout the current presidential campaigns, describing them as part of a worrying trend of shrinking media space.
“The latest decision by Parliament therefore compounds what seems to be a growing cancer of intolerance and restriction of media freedom, which we condemn in the strongest terms possible,” Nsibirwa declared.
She reaffirmed NMG-U’s commitment to its watchdog role, holding power to account and pursuing stories that follow taxpayer money, uphold human rights, and strengthen democracy.
“We shall not abdicate our responsibility to do bold and thoughtful journalism and to hold those in power accountable,” she said. “We shall continue to defend media freedoms and the Bill of Rights guaranteed by our Constitution, which underpins our constitutional order.”
Nsibirwa urged both the Presidency and Parliament to respect the constitutional right of journalists to access public information and institutions.
“We should always remember that democracy dies in darkness,” she said.
