DNK International By Our Reporter, Kampala.
Susan Nsibirwa has emerged as one of Uganda’s most recognizable media executives following the dramatic closure of Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda operations by order of Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The shutdown of the Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda and other NMG media platforms has thrust the accomplished corporate leader into the center of one of the country’s most significant press freedom controversies in recent years.
Nsibirwa according to details availed to DNK-International here in the capital,Kampala is a veteran Ugandan marketing and corporate communications professional with more than three decades of leadership experience.
She attended Aunt Clare Kindergarten, Kitante Primary School, Nabisunsa Girls’ School and later Gayaza High School before enrolling at Makerere University, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication.
She later obtained a Master’s Degree in Administration from the University of Nicosia and is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM).
Her career began in 1992 as a Press Attaché at the French Embassy in Kampala before she moved into Uganda’s advertising industry with Scanad Uganda and later Saatchi & Saatchi as a regional account manager.
She subsequently joined MTN Uganda as Advertising and Brand Manager before holding senior marketing positions at Commercial Microfinance Limited and DFCU Bank.
Her leadership portfolio expanded further when she became Head of Marketing and Communications at Vision Group, one of Uganda’s largest media organizations that’s owned by the state.
She later founded consulting ventures including Urge Uganda and Ayiva Consulting Solutions, while serving on the boards of several organizations including the African Centre for Media Excellence, Uganda Marketers Society, Greenhill Academy and The Innovation Village.
In December 2023, Nsibirwa was appointed Managing Director of Nation Media Group Uganda, replacing Tony Glencross and becoming the first woman to lead the company in Uganda.
Her appointment was widely viewed as a historic milestone for the country’s media industry and a significant breakthrough for women in executive leadership.
Since assuming office in January 2024, she has overseen the operations of Daily Monitor, NTV Uganda, KFM, Dembe FM and the group’s digital platforms during a period marked by economic challenges, newsroom restructuring and growing political pressure.
Under her leadership, NMG Uganda continued positioning itself as one of the country’s leading independent media houses, maintaining investigative journalism and critical reporting despite an increasingly difficult operating environment.
The Daily Monitor has for decades been regarded as one of Uganda’s most influential independent newspapers, frequently publishing investigations and reports scrutinizing government actions.
Alongside NTV Uganda, the media house has often found itself at odds with President Yoweri Museveni’s administration.
The company previously experienced a 10 day government shutdown in 2013 after publishing reports concerning presidential succession, highlighting its long history of confrontations with state authorities.
The latest confrontation escalated after General Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly declared that he did not believe in a free press, stating that “the press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”
He announced that Daily Monitor and NTV Uganda would not reopen without his permission, after which military personnel surrounded NMG’s Kampala offices and halted broadcasting operations early Sunday .
Unconfirmed reports also indicated that he ordered the arrest of Nsibirwa, further intensifying concerns over media freedom in Uganda.
In the months preceding the shutdown, tensions between sections of government and NMG Uganda had become increasingly visible.
Nsibirwa had also featured prominently in public disputes involving senior government officials, reflecting the increasingly strained relationship between independent journalism and the political establishment.
Throughout her career, Nsibirwa has consistently advocated ethical leadership, professional excellence and women’s empowerment.
She has frequently emphasized the importance of purpose driven leadership, continuous learning and integrity in corporate management.
Her appointment as the first woman Managing Director of NMG Uganda inspired many young women aspiring to leadership positions in journalism, media management and corporate governance.
She has also been recognized among Uganda’s leading chief executives and received national recognition during International Women’s Day celebrations.
Away from the newsroom, Nsibirwa is married, although she has largely kept her family life private.
She is also the granddaughter of the late Sir Martin Luther Nsibirwa, the former Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of Buganda, linking her to one of Uganda’s notable historical families.
Susan Nsibirwa’s story extends beyond corporate leadership.
It has become intertwined with the broader debate over press freedom, democratic governance and the protection of independent journalism in Uganda.
The closure of Nation Media Group Uganda has elevated her profile as a prominent figure in the struggle for media independence, making her one of the most closely watched women leaders in East Africa’s media landscape.
However, by the time of publication, there had been no official confirmation from the Ugandan authorities or Nation Media Group that she had been arrested or abducted, with her whereabouts remaining unclear.
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🗓️ [DNK-International@June 29,2026]
