Africa-Press – Uganda. National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has issued a strong condemnation of the barring of Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, and other Nation Media Group (NMG) journalists from accessing and covering Parliament.
In a message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, Bobi described the move as a blatant assault on media freedom and the constitutional rights of Ugandans.
“We have noted with great concern the disturbing news that journalists from the Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, and other media platforms under the Nation Media Group have been unilaterally blocked from accessing and covering Parliament, in addition to their earlier ban from covering any activities involving dictator Museveni,” he said.
“We strongly condemn this unconstitutional action, and urge the leadership of Parliament to immediately reverse it.”
The NUP leader asserted that while no official explanation had been issued, his party believes the decision may be linked to recent investigative reporting by NMG that has highlighted alleged abuse of power and corruption involving parliamentary leadership.
“While no formal justification has been given for the ban, we have reason to believe that it is a retaliatory measure against the Nation Media Group for news stories that it has published recently exposing the blatant abuse of power and corruption of ongoing electoral processes,” Bobi said, referring to senior parliamentary officials.
“The ban is not just a cowardly attack on the Ugandan people’s right to know how they are governed, but also an unjustified assault on Article 29 of our Constitution which guarantees the twin freedoms of speech and the press.”
Bobi further warned that attacks on journalists in Uganda appear to be part of a broader campaign to silence critical reporting.
“The clampdown on independent media has gone beyond bans: journalists have also been repeatedly beaten (as was the case during the Kawempe by-election) and threatened just for doing their jobs,” he said.
“Having spent years abusing state power to muzzle dissenting voices. The regime is now treating journalists as enemies of the state just for doing their constitutional duty.”
Bobi further reaffirmed NUP’s commitment to defending press freedom, stating,
“We stand in full solidarity with the brave journalists of Nation Media Group, and all other media practitioners in Uganda who continue to report the truth despite the serious risk. In the National Unity Platform we reaffirm our commitment to defending media freedom and protecting all journalists.”
On Tuesday, an NTV Uganda crew was blocked from accessing Parliament. Security officers at the main entrance allegedly confiscated the journalists’ accreditation and cited “instructions not to let them in,” offering no detailed explanation.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa distanced Parliament’s top leadership from the action and pledged to investigate.
“The Speaker and Deputy are not involved in the accreditation process of the media. On the withdrawal of NTV accreditation, it comes as news to me, and I will follow up,” Tayebwa said, addressing parliament on Tuesday.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has since issued a statement condemning the ban as “a direct affront to press freedom”, noting it closely follows a similar restriction preventing NMG from covering the Presidency.
On Wednesday, NMG Uganda called on both the Presidency and Parliament to respect constitutionally guaranteed media freedoms after its teams were barred from covering both institutions.
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