Uganda police raid Monitor Publications

Uganda police besiege Monitor Publications building in Kampala on May 20, 2013. Photo/COURTESY

Uganda Police have raided Monitor Publications Limited (MPL) in Kampala and barred staff from accessing the premise. However, no official communication has been issued over the raid.

The police are said to have surrounded the premise at around midday barring employees from leaving or gaining entry into the building.

MPL Managing Director Mr Alex Assimwe said the situation was ‘surprising and unfortunate’.

“We are seeing police men wielding guns but no one is giving us a communication on what is happening.” Mr Assimwe said. “But we are trying to make sure the situation normalises as early as possible.”

Other reports also indicate that the Red Pepper Newspaper, is also currently under police siege.

Security sources say the Ugandan government is cracking the whip over media’s reporting of the frenzy surrounding President Yoweri Museveni’s son Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s possible prospects for being president – dubbed by Coordinator of Intelligence Services Gen David Sejusa as “Muhoozi Project”.

Early this month, Daily Monitor published a letter by Gen Sejusa addressed to the director of the Internal Security Organisation Col Ronnie Balya, asking that he investigates claims to eliminate government officials opposed to “Muhoozi Project”.

Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga last week told Parliament that the alleged project aimed at assisting Brig Muhoozi Kainerugaba succeed his father as president does not exist.

Gen Sejusa, who is on a foreign trip is scheduled to return to Uganda anytime. Reports of his anticipated return has been greeted with heavy security deployment along Entebbe road.

The Monitor is a publication of the Nation Media Group.