Hundreds of NMG staff face uncertainty three weeks after media house closure

Hundreds of employees at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda remain uncertain about their future three weeks after the military closed the company’s offices, with concerns growing over jobs, salaries and when operations will resume.

While public attention has largely focused on press freedom and ongoing discussions between the media house and the government, employees say the prolonged shutdown has taken a significant emotional and financial toll.

Several staff members, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were instructed not to comment publicly on the closure or negotiations, described increasing anxiety over their livelihoods.

“Do you remember COVID-19, when people woke up every morning with nowhere to go? That is exactly what this feels like,” an NTV journalist said. “You wake up, but you don’t know what comes next. Your routine is gone.”

The journalist said the uncertainty had become more difficult as the closure continues.

“We all hope the company reopens, but nobody knows when that will happen. There is always a chance things could take longer or change completely. That uncertainty is frightening.”

Employees told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that although early discussions centred on the legality of the shutdown, many are now more concerned about their mental wellbeing and financial security.

“The shutdown came after we had already received our salaries for the month,” a Daily Monitor employee said. “But now everyone is wondering about the next payday. If it doesn’t come, some people have no alternative source of income.”

According to URN, company management has assured permanent employees that salaries will continue to be paid in line with their employment contracts. However, the assurance does not extend the same level of certainty to freelancers and contract workers, whose income depends on published stories, commissioned assignments and other editorial work.

Some freelance contributors said they have been forced to rely on savings, family support or temporary jobs to meet daily expenses while waiting for the newsroom to reopen.

“I survive on stories,” one freelance reporter said. “If my stories are not published, I do not earn anything. The bills have not stopped because the newsroom is closed.”

Another freelancer said the closure was the longest period they had spent without work since joining the profession.

“I have spent years building sources and chasing stories every single day. Now I am sitting at home watching major events happen without knowing when I will return to work. The hardest part is explaining to your family why you are home every day when you still don’t know what tomorrow looks like.”

Some journalists, however, believe the situation also highlights the need for financial preparedness.

“This should be a wake-up call. Journalists need to develop other sources of income because this profession is unpredictable. Even without this shutdown, depending entirely on freelance payments is risky.”

URN reports that employee welfare has become a regular topic during internal management meetings since the closure. The company is said to be organising counselling sessions and departmental meetings to support staff, while supervisors have been encouraged to maintain contact with employees.

Management has also reportedly acknowledged that freelance contributors and contract workers have been the most affected because they depend on active newsroom operations for their income.

“Management told employees that it recognises the financial hardship facing freelance contributors and other contract workers. It said their concerns would be addressed once the company resumes operations,” one employee said.

Staff have also been informed that discussions between the company and the government are continuing, although no date has been given for the reopening of the offices.

“We are trying to stay hopeful because that is all we have,” another reporter said. “We love this work, and we want to return to it. We only hope those making the decisions remember that behind this shutdown are hundreds of families wondering how they will make it through another week.”

URN said it contacted NMG Uganda management for comment on the welfare of employees and the ongoing closure, but the company had not responded by the time of publication.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, ICT Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba acknowledged the difficulties facing more than 700 NMG Uganda employees who have been unable to access their workplace since the shutdown. She said staff could return to work once the ongoing security investigation into the company is concluded.