Monitor Staffers Anxious as MD Nsibirwa Reportedly Faces Exile Amidst Shutdown

A wave of unease has swept through the Daily Monitor newsroom as operations remain suspended, drawing parallels to a similar shutdown thirteen years prior. Anxiety is palpable among staff, who feel history is repeating itself after their media platforms were raided and shut down by security operatives.

In 2013, Daniel Kalinaki, then Managing Editor, was sent into exile at Nation Media Group’s headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, shortly before Monitor Publications Limited’s offices were sealed off. Now, in 2026, Kalinaki has again departed Nation Media Group Uganda, and barely three months later, the company’s operations have been halted.

Many current and former employees view Kalinaki as a strategic leader who navigated the newspaper through political storms while maintaining editorial independence. His departures have twice coincided with what many inside the organization perceive as severe blows from the state.

However, the current crisis feels distinctly different. While the 2013 closure involved the police, this time the military is at the forefront. This shift has heightened concerns among employees, who see it not just as a state-media confrontation but as a far more uncertain chapter.

The emotional toll is evident, with internal communication channels falling silent. Journalists, typically chasing breaking news, are now anxiously awaiting updates on their own futures, while editors debate the possibility of future publications.

There’s a prevailing sense of limbo, with no clear timeline or conditions for operations to resume, and uncertainty surrounding who will remain with the company. The silence from the President’s office regarding the NMG-Uganda closure has added to the disquiet, intensifying behind-the-scenes negotiations.

Co-founder Phillip Wafula Oguttu has indicated a willingness to take legal action against the government, recalling a successful lawsuit and compensation awarded to Monitor Publications Limited after the 2013 closure. Discussions for reopening reportedly include demands for significant institutional changes, particularly in editorial leadership, with suggestions that the Managing Director and other editors might be asked to resign or face exile.

Reports suggest that negotiations for the company’s reopening have involved meetings with military officials, who presented a dossier alleging persistent political bias in NMG’s reporting. The future of MD Agnes Nsibiribirwa, reportedly left out of key meetings concerning her own company, remains uncertain, with speculation of her potentially being sent into exile in Kenya or Tanzania, mirroring past events for NMG leadership.

https://nilepost.co.ug/news/353940/anxiety-hits-monitor-staff-hard-as-md-nsibirwa-faces-exile