The ''New Vision'' is a Ugandan English-language daily newspaper. It was established in its current form in 1986 by the Government of Uganda. It is the flagship newspaper of the state-owned Vision Group, a multimedia conglomerate. Along with its privately-owned competitor, the ''

Daily Monitor The ''Daily Monitor'' is an independent daily newspaper in Uganda. Launched in 1992 as ''The Monitor'', it established itself as a leading voice critical of the government and is one of the two largest national newspapers, alongside the state-ow ...

'', the ''New Vision'' is one of the two largest national newspapers in Uganda.

History

The ''New Vision'' traces its origins to the colonial era. Its institutional predecessor, the ''Uganda Argus'', was founded in 1955 as a British colonial government publication. Following Uganda's independence in 1962, the government of President

Milton Obote Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan politician who served as the second prime minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and the second president of Uganda from 1966 to 1971 and later from 1980 to 1985. A Lango, ...

retained the ''Uganda Argus'' as its official paper. After the 1971 coup, the government of

Idi Amin Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 30 May 192816 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 until Uganda–Tanzania War, his overthrow in 1979. He ruled as a Military dictatorship, ...

renamed the paper the ''Voice of Uganda''. When Amin was overthrown in 1979, the succeeding government named it the ''Uganda Times''. When the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came to power in 1986, the publication was rebranded as the ''New Vision''. Throughout its history under various names, the newspaper has consistently served as the official media organ of the government in power.

Ownership and corporate structure

The ''New Vision'' is published by the New Vision Printing & Publishing Company Limited (NVPPCL), which trades on the Uganda Securities Exchange under the symbol NVL and operates as the Vision Group. The Government of Uganda is the majority shareholder, holding 53.3% of the company's shares, with the remaining 46.7% held by institutional and individual investors. Vision Group is a large multimedia conglomerate with a portfolio that includes: *Newspapers: Besides the flagship ''New Vision'', it publishes Uganda's leading vernacular daily, '' Bukedde'' (in

Luganda Ganda or Luganda ( ; ) is a Bantu language spoken in the African Great Lakes region. It is one of the major languages in Uganda and is spoken by more than 5.56 million Ganda people, Baganda and other people principally in central Uganda, includ ...

), and regional papers such as ''Rupiny'' (Luo), ''Etop'' (Ateso), and ''Orumuri'' (Runyankore/Rukiga). *Television: It operates several TV stations, including Bukedde TV, TV West, Urban TV, and TV East. *Radio: The group owns a network of radio stations across the country, such as Radio West and Bukedde FM. *Digital Platforms: A significant online presence through its main news website, mobile applications, and social media channels. *Commercial Printing: A major commercial printing division that serves government and private clients.

Leadership and editorial

The leadership of Vision Group has seen significant changes over the years. William Pike, an editor who had joined the paper in its early days, served as CEO and is often credited with maintaining a degree of editorial independence during his tenure. He resigned in October 2006 amid reports of government pressure. Pike was succeeded by Robert Kabushenga, who served as CEO for over 14 years, from 2007 until his resignation in January 2021. In April 2021, Don Wanyama, who was then the Senior Presidential Press Secretary to President Museveni, was appointed as the new Managing Director and CEO of Vision Group. Barbara Kaija has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the ''New Vision'' since 2010.

Editorial stance and perception

As a state-owned enterprise with a CEO appointed directly from the presidential press unit, the ''New Vision'' is widely perceived as having a pro-government editorial stance. Media scholars and watchdog groups often contrast its coverage of political affairs with that of the privately-owned ''Daily Monitor'', which typically offers more critical perspectives on the government. While it provides extensive coverage of government programs and officials, the newspaper also engages in investigative journalism and covers a wide range of social, economic, and cultural topics, maintaining a large readership across the country.

Digital presence

In response to changing media consumption habits, Vision Group has invested heavily in its digital platforms. The ''New Vision'' website (newvision.co.ug) is one of Uganda's most visited news sources. The group also operates mobile apps, paywalled e-paper services, and maintains a strong presence on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, where it distributes news and video content to a large online audience.

References

External links

Official Website

Vision Group Corporate Website
{{Kampala District Daily newspapers published in Uganda Newspapers established in 1986 1986 establishments in Uganda Mass media in Kampala Companies listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange