 | |
| Type | Dailynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Berliner |
| Owner | Nation Media Group (majority shareholder) |
| Founders |
|
| Publisher | Monitor Publications Limited |
| Founded | July 24, 1992; 33 years ago (1992-07-24) |
| Political alignment | Independent[1] |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 29-35 Namuwongo Road (8th Street), Industrial Area Kampala, Uganda |
| Circulation | 16,169 (Q4 2019)[2] |
| Sister newspapers | Saturday Monitor, Sunday Monitor, Ennyanda |
| OCLC number | 44216472 |
| Website | monitor.co.ug |
TheDaily Monitor is an independent daily newspaper inUganda. Launched in 1992 asThe Monitor, it established itself as a leading voice critical of the government and is one of the two largest national newspapers, alongside the state-ownedNew Vision.[1]
The paper is published by Monitor Publications Limited, which is majority-owned by the Nairobi-basedNation Media Group (NMG).[3]
The Monitor was founded on 24 July 1992 by a group of six journalists who had resigned from the government-owned newspaper,The Weekly Topic. The founders includedWafula Oguttu,Charles Onyango-Obbo, James Serugo, David Ouma Balikowa, Richard Tebere, and Kevin O'Connor.[4] Their objective was to create a newspaper that was independent of government control and could provide critical, in-depth coverage of politics and current affairs at a time when the media landscape was heavily dominated by state-run outlets.[4]
The newspaper quickly gained a reputation for its investigative journalism and its willingness to challenge the official government narrative, which led to both a high readership and a frequently adversarial relationship with the state.[5]
In 2000, theAga Khan Fund for Economic Development's media division, which operates as theNation Media Group (NMG), acquired a majority stake (initially 60%) in Monitor Publications Limited. This acquisition provided the newspaper with greater financial stability and resources.[3]
In June 2005, the newspaper was officially rebranded fromThe Monitor to theDaily Monitor, aligning it more closely with NMG's flagship publication, theDaily Nation of Kenya.[6]
As a leading independent voice, theDaily Monitor and its journalists have faced significant pressure from the Ugandan government over the years. This has included arrests of journalists, legal charges, and temporary closures.
A notable incident occurred on 20 May 2013, when Ugandan police raided the newspaper's premises and forced its closure for ten days. The raid was prompted by the paper's publication of a controversial letter allegedly written by GeneralDavid Sejusa, which discussed a purported plot to have PresidentYoweri Museveni's son,Muhoozi Kainerugaba, succeed him. The police demanded that the journalists reveal the source of the letter.[7] The siege, which also shut down the company's radio stations KFM and Dembe FM, was condemned by local and international press freedom organizations. The newspaper resumed publication on 30 May 2013 after a court order.[8]
TheDaily Monitor is the flagship brand of Monitor Publications Limited. The company is headquartered at 29-35 Namuwongo Road, in the Industrial Area of Kampala. It operates several other media platforms, including:
Monitor Publications Limited is a subsidiary of the Nation Media Group, which also owns NTV Uganda, a major television station in the country.
The leadership of Monitor Publications Limited has evolved over the years. As of mid-2024, key leadership roles include:
'Daily Monitor', the main independent newspaper...
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