A standoff over media freedom erupted at the Parliament of Uganda on Monday after security officers reportedly blocked journalists from Nation Media Group’s NTV Uganda from accessing the parliamentary precincts.
According to reports, the journalists were stopped at the main entrance, and their press accreditation tags were confiscated by security personnel who claimed they had “instructions not to let them in” but gave no clear explanation for the directive.
The move has drawn widespread condemnation from opposition MPs, who allege that the action was politically motivated and linked to NTV’s recent investigative series on “unopposed candidates” in Parliament — which featured top House leaders, including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi denounced the incident as a direct attack on media freedom.
“We understand Parliament’s leadership is furious over NTV’s coverage of ‘unopposed candidates,’ including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. What a shame!” he said.
On the floor of Parliament, Acting Leader of the Opposition Muwanga Kivumbi demanded an official explanation, urging the House to safeguard the independence of the press.
“The House must act to ensure media freedom is not stifled,” Kivumbi stated.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa distanced the Parliamentary leadership from the decision, saying they were not involved in the accreditation process
“The Speaker and I are not part of media accreditation. The withdrawal of NTV’s tags is news to me, but I’ll follow up on the matter,” Tayebwa said.
Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda a former journalist also demanded answers from government, warning that the action could be part of a broader campaign to silence critical media.
“I worked at the Monitor before joining Parliament. NTV can’t cover the President is this an effort to strangle Nation Media? Can the Minister tell us what crime they’ve committed?” he asked
The incident has reignited debate about the independence of Parliament’s communications department and the growing challenges facing journalists covering Uganda’s legislative processes.
Media observers have cautioned that locking out NTV one of the country’s leading broadcasters sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom and transparency in government institutions
