Ugandan army chief orders closure of key news media offices

Key Points:

• Uganda's military chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, ordered the shutdown of major media outlets, including the Daily Monitor and NTV, asserting his authority as the country's de facto ruler and warning all media will now "follow the rules."
• Soldiers were deployed outside the Kampala offices of the Daily Monitor, part of the Nation Media Group, which saw at least six of its outlets closed, raising concerns from the National Association of Broadcasters about the impact on Uganda's media ecosystem.
• Kainerugaba, President Yoweri Museveni's eldest son and likely successor, has increasingly consolidated power since Museveni's seventh term began, exercising military authority and targeting critics, including the legal team of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
• Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, has not announced retirement plans, with the military, led by Kainerugaba, expected to influence the choice of his successor amid a lack of rivals within the ruling party.
• Known for his military background and anti-corruption stance, Kainerugaba has expanded elite forces and founded the Patriotic League of Uganda, a political activist group with influential members across government.