By Enengo Staff Writer

RUKUNGIRI – The sudden closure of Boona FM, a popular radio station in Rukungiri District, has sparked controversy, finger-pointing, and heated debate among residents. At the centre of it all is Security Minister and Rujumbura County Member of Parliament, Retired Major-General Jim Muhwezi, who has been forced to defend himself against accusations linking him to the shutdown.

On his official X account, the retired general came out strongly to deny any involvement. “I am NOT the person who closed the radio. I do not have the authority to do so; it is UCC that holds that power,” Muhwezi wrote. He added that if the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) indeed closed Boona FM, then the commission should explain its reasons to the public.

Politics Blamed as UCC Suspends Rukungiri’s Boona FM

Muhwezi, who was a top fighter in the original National Resistance Army, accused his political opponents of twisting the situation. “As usual, obscurantists are trying to politicize this matter. My name has come up in discussions, inaccurately implying that I am responsible for the closure. Radios, including mine, must follow the law and comply with regulations,” he said.

He urged the people of Rukungiri to stay calm as the matter is handled by the relevant authorities. “If there are concerns regarding the regulator’s actions, the radio has the right to seek redress through the courts,” Muhwezi said.

But while the minister distances himself, voices from Boona FM paint a different picture. Station manager and show host Kakyene Namanya told Enengo News reporters that the station’s troubles began during the last election period. According to him, the closure can be traced back to a controversial broadcast.

“Gen. Jim faked an electricity launch two weeks to the NRM elections. As a media house we analysed the launch with well-researched information,” Kakyene said. He added that the very next day he was suspended by UCC, threatened with arrest, and later warned that the station could be closed. “On voting day, the military threatened us, and finally, it has been closed,” he revealed.

The battle of words has left many people caught in the middle. To some, the closure of Boona FM is a blow to press freedom, while others believe the station’s problems with the regulator are of its own making.