Military vacates NMG offices

What the report says

Military personnel have withdrawn from Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda’s premises, ending a weeks-long occupation of the media company’s offices in Kampala, according to The Independent Uganda. The withdrawal was reported at both NMG’s headquarters in Namuwongo and its broadcast studios at the Kampala Serena International Conference Centre, where soldiers had been deployed since June 28.

The Independent said reporters found no visible military presence at either location, and staff at the Serena site confirmed the troops had left. NMG management also told employees in an internal communication that the military had vacated the premises, while cautioning that the company’s own security checks were still under way before a full reopening.

The standoff had disrupted several NMG outlets, including Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, Spark TV, KFM and Dembe FM, after electricity was cut and staff were locked out. The company later said it had received clearance to resume operations following negotiations with government officials. The Independent reported that the matter was resolved through behind-the-scenes talks involving NMG’s majority shareholder, Tanzanian businessman Rostam Azizi, along with President Yoweri Museveni and Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

The episode is notable because it followed an earlier military occupation of the Daily Monitor offices in 2013 and again raised concerns about press freedom and the vulnerability of newsrooms in Uganda. NMG has resumed limited digital operations, while television, radio and print services were still in the process of returning.