Tanzanian billionaire Rostam Aziz intervenes as Uganda’s military shuts down Nation Media Group operations
Tanzanian billionaire Rostam Aziz has personally stepped into the growing crisis surrounding the closure of Nation Media Group’s (NMG) operations in Uganda, holding high-level talks with Uganda’s military leadership as efforts intensify to restore one of East Africa’s largest independent media organisations.
Aziz travelled to Entebbe on Wednesday, July 1, where he met Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, at the Special Forces Command headquarters. The meeting comes just days after the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) ordered the shutdown of NTV Uganda, Spark TV, KFM, Dembe FM, and the Daily Monitor’s printing operations, triggering widespread concern over press freedom and media independence in the region.
The closure followed an early morning security operation on June 28, during which armed personnel raided Nation Media Group’s premises in Kampala, forced its television and radio stations off the air, and prevented employees from accessing the Daily Monitor’s printing facilities. The action came after General Muhoozi publicly accused the media house of publishing what he described as hostile and biased reports against the Ugandan government.
Aziz was accompanied by his son, Saam Aziz, and Georgia Mutagaywa, Chief of Staff at Taarifa Limited—the investment vehicle through which he controls Nation Media Group. Also present at the meeting were journalist Andrew Mwenda, who has been facilitating discussions between the military and media stakeholders, and Acting UPDF Director of Defence Public Information, Colonel Chris Magezi.
Following the discussions, Ugandan authorities issued a statement indicating that both parties had reviewed concerns over what the government described as biased and malicious reporting by the media organisation. According to the statement, Nation Media Group’s ownership expressed its commitment to promoting journalism that is “patriotic, balanced and objective.”
General Muhoozi disclosed that he would present a report on the meeting to President Yoweri Museveni, who is expected to make the final decision on whether the suspended television, radio, and newspaper operations will be allowed to resume. However, no timeline has been provided for that decision.
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The standoff marks the first major political and commercial challenge facing Rostam Aziz since he acquired a controlling stake in Nation Media Group from the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development in March 2026, ending the Aga Khan’s 66-year stewardship of one of East Africa’s most influential media companies.
At the time of the acquisition, Aziz described the investment as a purely commercial venture and stressed that his relationships with political leaders across East Africa would not interfere with the company’s editorial independence. However, the latest developments have placed those assurances under renewed scrutiny, particularly after the company’s ownership reportedly signalled a willingness to pursue what Ugandan authorities termed more patriotic journalism.
Nation Media Group’s Ugandan operations employ more than 500 people and include some of the country’s most prominent independent media brands. The prolonged shutdown has therefore raised significant operational, commercial, and press freedom concerns.
Questions also continue to surround the legality of the closure. No court order, regulatory directive, or publicly available legal instrument has been presented to justify the military action. Uganda’s Communications Commission has stated that it is consulting relevant government agencies, while Nation Media Group has continued publishing news through its digital platforms despite the suspension of its broadcast and print services.
Before ordering the shutdown, General Muhoozi had repeatedly stated on social media that all negative reports concerning Uganda should receive approval from his office. He also declared that he does not believe in a free press and claimed he had possessed the authority to shut down any media house since 2017.
As the region awaits President Museveni’s decision, the outcome is expected to have far-reaching implications beyond the reopening of Nation Media Group’s Ugandan operations. It will serve as a critical test of Rostam Aziz’s ability to safeguard the editorial independence of East Africa’s largest independent media company while navigating political pressures in one of the continent’s most closely watched media environments.
For investors, journalists, and advocates of press freedom, the decision will not only determine the future of more than 500 employees but also shape confidence in private investment and independent journalism across East Africa.
