Nation Media Group (NMG)-Uganda has defiantly urged the Presidency and Parliament to respect the constitutional guarantee of media freedom after being barred from covering both institutions.
In a statement, NMG- Uganda managing director Susan Nsibirwa called the restrictions a “growing cancer of intolerance” that undermines citizens’ right to know and threatens independent journalism.
Parliament's decision to block NMG-U from.accesisng its precincts, enforced on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, follows months of limited access to the Presidency, a restriction that began in March 2025 and also affected Next Media, the parent company of the Nile Post.
NMG-, whose motto is "Africa for Africa Media," said it has received no formal explanation for the blocks, denying journalists due process or the right of reply.
Ms Nsibirwa said press freedoms are enshrined in Article 29 of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda and protected under the Access to Information Act 2005 and the Press and Journalist Act.
"Denying coverage and access to independent media violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, media, and expression," Nsibirwa said.
She added that such restrictions also deprive citizens of information about how their elected leaders operate, undermining accountability, transparency, and good governance.
The restrictions carry along with it financial consequences of the restrictions. The government or institutional blocks often discourage advertisers especially those affiliated with the state, straining the media house’s revenue and its ability to sustain independent operations.
The State-NMG rift continue to deepen despite the conglomerate's owner Aga Khan's September visit to Uganda where be met President Museveni at State House Entebbe - though it remains unclear whether the restrictions on NMG’s access to cover the Presidency were discussed.
Despite these challenges, NMG-Uganda reaffirmed its commitment to fearless journalism.
"We shall not abdicate our responsibility to do bold and thoughtful journalism, and to hold those in power accountable," the statement read, underlining that "media freedom is unstoppable."
The organization also highlighted a pattern of repression against its journalists, citing incidents during the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election in March 2025 and ongoing presidential campaigns.
Nsibirwa said the latest parliamentary restrictions further compound what appears to be a growing culture of intolerance and limitation of media freedom.
In closing, NMG-Uganda reiterated its constitutional mandate to serve as a public watchdog.
"Independent media like ours seeks to hold those in power accountable to citizens, following taxpayer money, reporting on human rights and the country's democracy," the statement said.
"We should always remember that democracy dies in darkness."
