The closure of the Daily Monitor has not delivered the expected boost for competing newspapers. Instead, it has exposed the deeper challenges facing Uganda’s print media industry, with many loyal readers abandoning newspapers altogether rather than switching to alternative titles.
The Daily Monitor and other Nation Media Group Uganda outlets have remained off the market since June 2026 after security forces sealed the company’s premises in Namuwongo and Kampala Serena Hotel. However, the newspaper’s prolonged absence has left a gap that competitors have struggled to fill.
Across the country, newspaper vendors say many former Daily Monitor readers have either stopped buying newspapers or turned to radio, social media and online platforms for news.
In Kampala, newspaper distributor Kizza Joseph, who serves Mawanda Road, Mulago and Kamwokya, says most of his customers are offices and households with established reading preferences. He says he has reduced his New Vision orders from about 20 copies to 15 because demand has fallen since the closure.
“Most of my orders go to offices and homes. Some people used to read Monitor only, and those have not switched. A few people request New Vision on Tuesday and Thursday, mainly for tenders,” he said.
In Nansana, newspaper distributor Dora Namukose says the closure has affected sales of other publications as well, with vendors increasingly returning unsold copies of New Vision and Bukedde.
Reader Paul Ssenyonjo says he now only scans headlines at newspaper stands, adding that he preferred the Daily Monitor because of its independent reporting, writing style and distinctive headlines.
In Masaka City, newspaper vendor Francis Mukalazi says the closure has reduced sales, with several customers refusing to replace Daily Monitor with another newspaper. He says many clients who previously subscribed to both Daily Monitor and Bukedde have suspended their orders, including for the Luganda newspaper, even though it was not affected by the closure.
Another regular reader, Richard Lukyamuzi, says he now relies on social media and personal sources for news. He says the only other newspaper he occasionally buys is The Observer, but because it is not published daily, he has largely shifted to social media to keep up with current affairs.
In Luwero Town, newspaper vendor Fred Kasolo says many customers who previously bought two newspapers, including Daily Monitor, seem to have disappeared. On Wednesday, he sold no copies of New Vision, while 13 of the 20 copies of Bukedde remained unsold.
Another vendor, Miriam Namuli Deborah, says the absence of Daily Monitor has reduced sales across the entire newspaper market rather than benefiting competing publications.
In northern Uganda, vendors say distribution delays have worsened the situation. Kitgum distribution agent Ole Andrew Keith says newspapers often arrive late from the Gulu distribution hub, by which time many readers have already obtained news from radio and online platforms. He says hopes that Daily Monitor readers would switch to other newspapers have largely not materialised.
Ole says newspaper sales are strongest on Mondays and Thursdays when publications carry examination revision materials and past papers. Unsold copies, he adds, are often bought in bulk by mechanics for vehicle repairs and painting work.
In Gulu City, newspaper distributor Walter Okello says New Vision sales have remained relatively stable, although many readers continue to express a preference for the Daily Monitor.
He distributes between 150 and 200 newspapers daily within Gulu City and Elegu Town Council but says late deliveries often lead to unsold copies. Another vendor, Patrick Nyeko, says several institutions that previously subscribed exclusively to the Daily Monitor have chosen not to replace it.
He adds that The EastAfrican and The Observer continue to attract loyal readers. In Soroti City, resident Mary Asio says she did not find a reason for switching allegiance because Monitor had earned the community’s confidence through its fair coverage and even proved effective for publishing legal notices, recalling that a notice she placed was quickly seen by the intended person, helping resolve a matter amicably.
John Okodan Akwap of Kumi District says many residents now rely on social media despite concerns over misinformation.
“Daily Monitor had both current and past affairs that guided us on where we were heading. Now that it is closed, everyone is left to read news on social media, where anyone can write anything they want. Unlike Daily Monitor, which balanced the stories for the community to consume,” he said.
In Kapchorwa Municipality, David Aliwa says he now buys New Vision to keep up with current affairs but misses the depth and analysis he found in the Daily Monitor.
“I have been buying New Vision because I still need information every day, but it is not the same experience. Daily Monitor had sections and analyses that I followed regularly, and I have not found a complete substitute for them,” he said.
Sara Alungat says the closure disrupted her daily routine of reading a printed newspaper. She says she previously bought the Daily Monitor almost every day but now only purchases a newspaper when there is a story that particularly interests her, relying mainly on radio and online platforms for news.
However, Kapchorwa newspaper vendor Mike Toskin says some former Daily Monitor readers have shifted to New Vision, although many others have abandoned newspapers in favour of radio and digital platforms.
In Kabale, newspaper vendor Wilber Rwabushesheija says some readers have switched to New Vision and Bukedde, helping sales remain relatively stable. Taxi driver Wingston Turinawe says the closure has affected his transport business because he previously carried Daily Monitor newspapers from Kabale to Kisoro.
He says the newspapers used to arrive early, allowing him to depart on time, but delays in deliveries of other publications now disrupt his schedule.
Dr Gerald Walulya, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, says although the survey was not scientific, its findings reflect sentiments he has consistently encountered since the newspaper’s closure. He says newspaper readership is driven by loyalty and personal preference, making it difficult for readers to switch publications.
Some readers who previously bought both Daily Monitor and New Vision for comparison, he notes, may instead stop buying newspapers altogether because they feel no available publication adequately meets their needs.
Walulya warns that the greatest risk is that readers may permanently adopt new media habits while their preferred newspaper remains unavailable. He notes that the disruption comes at a time when Uganda’s print media industry has already endured more than a decade of declining readership due to digital migration, rising production costs and changing audience behaviour, particularly among younger readers. Audit Bureau of Circulations figures show that Uganda’s newspaper market has steadily contracted.
New Vision’s daily circulation has ranged between 23,000 and 34,000 copies, while Daily Monitor has averaged between 11,000 and 22,000 copies. Although vernacular newspapers such as Bukedde remain strong in some markets, overall print sales have continued to decline, prompting publishers to merge some weekend editions.
The trend is reflected in audience surveys. Ipsos/NAMS data shows newspaper readership fell from 8 per cent to 7 percent between 2019 and 2024/25, while internet and social media use increased from 10 percent to 26 percent. Radio remains Uganda’s leading source of news, although younger audiences are increasingly consuming information through digital platforms.
