The demand was issued on June 29, by Committee Chairman Senator Jim Risch, who accused the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Uganda, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, of suppressing civil liberties.

Senator Risch stated that the Ugandan military is no longer a suitable partner for the U.S., pointing directly to Gen. Muhoozi’s recent decision to shut down prominent independent media outlets, including NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor newspaper.

“The United States should review its security cooperation with Uganda,” Senator Risch said.

“Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s attacks on freedom of speech, including the weekend shutdown of major media houses, make him and the UPDF [Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces] unsuitable partners,” he stated.

The senator emphasized that the U.S. should exclusively collaborate with actors who promote regional security rather than destabilize it, though his statement did not specify how the Ugandan military's actions were impacting broader regional stability.

In response, Gen. Muhoozi openly declared his rejection of press freedom, informing his social media followers that all media outlets in Uganda would henceforth have to operate according to his directives.

While the affected media organizations stated they have not been formally notified of the reasons behind their forced closure, outlets like the Daily Monitor have frequently been accused by both Gen. Muhoozi and his father, President Yoweri Museveni, of bias.

Amid intensifying public debate, veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda, a close associate of Gen. Muhoozi, announced on June 28 that high-level negotiations are underway to swiftly reopen the closed media houses.

Gen. Muhoozi subsequently confirmed that European partners, including representatives from the United Kingdom, are involved in the ongoing talks. However, he noted that President Museveni retains the final authority on whether the outlets will be permitted to resume operations.