NTV is facing growing criticism after supporters of Robert Kyagulanyi accused the station of sharply cutting his airtime while maintaining extensive coverage of incumbent Yoweri Museveni.
The shift has sparked frustration within the National Unity Platform base, which had long viewed Nation Media Group as a friendly platform.
The tension follows a high profile visit by Nation Media Group owner Aga Khan, who met President Museveni while commissioning the Aga Khan University in Uganda.
Since that meeting, the wider Nation Media network have scaled back coverage of the opposition candidate, a noticeable departure from their previously critical reporting on government.
The cutback has started to hurt the relationship between Nation Media and opposition supporters, many of whom had contributed financially to the company.
Those donations have fallen in recent weeks as frustration over airtime imbalances deepened.
In response, NTV has moved to organise a presidential debate that would give Kyagulanyi a fair platform without upsetting its improved relations with the ruling party. Whether both candidates will attend remains uncertain.
NUP candidates have boycotted most debates in this campaign cycle, and it is not yet clear if Kyagulanyi will take part.
For Nation Media, however, the debate represents a chance to calm a core audience that has grown uneasy with the station’s recent editorial decisions.
