The meeting took place at the Special Forces Command headquarters in Entebbe and brought together NMG owner Rostam Aziz and his son Saam Aziz, alongside Georgia Mutagaywa, the Chief of Staff of Taarifa Limited, the parent organisation of NMG.
Also in attendance were veteran journalist and Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) leader Andrew Mwenda, as well as the Acting UPDF/Defence Public Information Director, Col. Chris Magezi.
The discussions follow the recent shutdown of NMG Uganda's operations by security forces, an action ordered by Gen. Muhoozi. The closure came after allegations by the CDF that the media group had engaged in what he described as a sustained blackmail campaign against the government of Uganda and its leadership, while also promoting opposition and foreign interests.
During the meeting, both sides are said to have reviewed reporting that government officials consider biased and malicious, with the media owners expected to adopt a more patriotic, balanced, and objective approach in their reporting.
The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts to resolve the standoff between the media group and the government following the shutdown of its outlets. A final decision on the reopening of the affected media premises is expected to follow a presidential review.
The closure of NTV Uganda, Spark TV and the Daily Monitor earlier this week came after security personnel carried out an overnight operation at NMG offices in Namuwongo, Kampala. The shutdown followed a series of posts by Gen. Muhoozi announcing the suspension of operations of the outlets, citing critical reporting and alleging biased coverage.
In earlier remarks shared online, Gen. Muhoozi said media reporting on Uganda would require clearance from his office and asserted that he had authority to shut down any media house in the country, claims that have drawn widespread attention.
Nation Media Group Uganda operates several outlets, including NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor, The EastAfrican, Dembe FM and Spark TV.
The developments echo previous tensions in 2013, when security agencies temporarily closed the Daily Monitor and affiliated stations following the publication of a controversial letter attributed to former intelligence official Gen. David Sejusa.
Source : https://new.igihe.com/english/gen-muhoozi-meets-nmg-leadership-over-closure-of-daily-monitor-ntv/
