U.S. Senator Jim Risch Calls for Review of America-Uganda Ties After Raid on NMG Outlets
A senior United States senator has called for a comprehensive review of Washington’s security relationship with Uganda after the country’s military shut down two of its leading independent media outlets, warning that the actions undermine democratic values and freedom of expression.
The chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, issued the warning following the controversial closure of Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda, both owned by Nairobi-based Nation Media Group (NMG), after orders allegedly issued by Uganda’s military chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
In a strongly worded statement posted on Monday, June 29, Risch accused Kainerugaba of attacking press freedom and questioned whether Uganda’s military should continue to enjoy close security cooperation with the United States.
“The U.S. needs to review its security relationship with Uganda. General Kainerugaba’s attacks on free speech, including shuttering major media houses this weekend, make him and the UPDF unfit partners,” Risch wrote.
He added:
“We should only work with those who advance regional security, not diminish it.”
The remarks represent one of the strongest responses yet from a senior U.S. lawmaker to the developments in Uganda and could place additional diplomatic pressure on President Yoweri Museveni’s administration.
Risch, who chairs the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, plays a significant role in shaping U.S. foreign policy, approving diplomatic appointments and overseeing America’s relationships with foreign governments. His comments are therefore likely to carry considerable weight in Washington’s approach towards Uganda.
The controversy erupted after General Kainerugaba announced on Sunday, June 28, that he had ordered the closure of Daily Monitor, Uganda’s largest independent newspaper, and NTV Uganda, one of the country’s leading television stations.
In a series of posts on his X account, Kainerugaba declared that neither outlet would resume operations until he personally approved their reopening.
“The Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda will not reopen without my permission,” he wrote.
The military chief, who is also the son of President Museveni, went further by dismissing the principle of press freedom, arguing that independent media had no place in Uganda—a statement that has sparked widespread concern among media rights advocates.
Both media outlets are owned by Nation Media Group, East Africa’s largest independent media company, which is headquartered in Nairobi and listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. NMG operates newspapers, television and digital platforms across several countries in the region.
According to the Daily Monitor, soldiers were deployed to the company’s headquarters in Kampala on Sunday, preventing journalists and other employees from accessing the premises after the shutdown order was issued.
The incident has intensified concerns over media freedom in Uganda, where journalists and civil society organisations have repeatedly accused authorities of intimidation, censorship and harassment of independent news organisations, particularly during politically sensitive periods.
Risch’s intervention now raises the prospect of increased international scrutiny of Uganda’s human rights record and its security partnership with the United States. While the U.S. has long viewed Uganda as an important regional ally in counterterrorism and peacekeeping operations, the senator’s remarks suggest that continued cooperation could come under renewed examination if concerns over press freedom persist.
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