Regional rights groups condemn Uganda over media shutdown, Executive overreach

Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has asserted growing control in recent months, ordering the arrests of politicians, activists and now a media shutdown. [Agencies]

Regional rights groups have condemned the Ugandan government over what they termed a severe "pattern of executive overreach," and demanded an end to the military-led shutdown of Nation Media Group outlets in Kampala and the detention of political activists

Addressing a press briefing at the International Commission Jurists (ICJ) headquarters in Karen, Nairobi, East Africa Law Society president Ramadan Abubakar, warned that the ongoing military occupation of independent media premises and the secret detention of legal figures was an affront to Uganda's rule of law.

Abubakar declared that the suppression of press freedom has escalated from a domestic dispute into a full-blown regional constitutional crisis. 

“The military has no business in civilian rule," he said adding that Uganda must uphold its constitutional obligations, protect journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders, and ensure accountability, judicial oversight and respect for fundamental freedoms. 

The ICJ Kenya Chairperson Christine Alai said the suspension of Nation Media Group broadcast services and deployment of security personnel at the company premises undermines constitutional guaranteed press freedom.

Alai said freedom of the press is not a privilege granted by the state but a fundamental pillar of democratic governance, accountability and the public's right to receive and share information without interference.

The coalition further questioned the absence of any publicly disclosed directive from the Uganda Communications Commission authorising the reported actions against the media houses.

According to the statement, Uganda's Communications Act vests authority to regulate broadcasting exclusively in the Uganda Communications Commission, meaning any interference with licensed media operations should satisfy legal requirements, including legality, necessity, proportionality, procedural fairness and independent oversight.

The organisations argued that actions taken outside this framework raise serious constitutional and statutory concerns.

The statement also criticised involvement of senior military officials in matters that fall under civilian institutions and statutory regulators.

They argued that regulatory functions, including media oversight, belong exclusively to legally established civilian institutions and not the military stating that Uganda's Constitution clearly requires the military to remain professional, disciplined and subordinate to civilian authority.

The groups argued that the government's actions violate Articles 23, 24, 28, 44, and 50 of the Constitution of Uganda. Furthermore, they said that the Ugandan government is in direct breach of its international obligations under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Convention Against Torture.