The Daily Monitor said on X that the newspaper and its fellow outlets were ordered to close "in a crackdown during the wee hours of Sunday".

It did not give reasons for the crackdown, but covered the story on its website, external.

It said staff had reported that "no-one was allowed to enter or leave the compound", while NTV Uganda and Spark TV viewers "were met with blank screens displaying the message 'video unavailable'."

The article pointed out that the Daily Monitor had also been raided by police in 2013 over the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan dubbed the 'Muhoozi Project', while NTV had been forced off air in 2007 following accusations by the government that its news coverage was negative.

"Over the years, Museveni has also repeatedly criticised the Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an 'enemy and evil newspaper' over its critical journalism," the article said.

Uganda's National Broadcasters Association said it would seek clarification from the government over the shutdown, saying it was in violation of the constitution.

Defeated opposition presidential candidate Bobi Wine, who is now in exile, said that Gen Kainerugaba had "moved to silence Uganda's remaining independent voices".

"This is the harsh reality we now face, a country under open military rule, where fear replaces law and force replaces accountability," he posted on X.

During January's fiercely contested election, Gen Kainerugaba caused outrage when in posts which were subsequently deleted, he threatened to have the testicles of Bobi Wine removed.

Before the polls, opposition rallies were disrupted, with security forces at times opening fire.

The United Nations said the election was held in an "environment marked by widespread repression and intimidation against the political opposition".

Election officials said the poll was free and fair.