Archival Sense
JF-Expert Member
- Dec 16, 2025
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Video courtesy of Daily Monitor
Eight medical interns arrested during a protest over delayed deployment and unpaid allowances are appearing before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court today, as they seek bail following their arrest last week.
The interns were arrested on August 12 along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala while protesting delays in their deployment and payment, as well as the Ministry of Health’s recruitment and remuneration policy.
They were later charged with being a nuisance on a public road and remanded to Luzira Prison.
The interns returned to court today for a bail hearing. However, proceedings were temporarily put on hold for one hour after their lawyers told the trial magistrate that the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) was down.
The system failure prevented the defence team from uploading documents relating to the proposed sureties, forcing the court to stand over the matter to allow the lawyers to complete the process once the system becomes accessible.
The case has attracted attention from medical professionals across the region, with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) condemning the arrests and calling for the interns’ immediate and unconditional release.
In a statement issued on August 16, KMPDU said medical interns are an essential part of healthcare delivery but continue to face challenges including delayed deployment, unpaid stipends, difficult working conditions and heavy clinical workloads.
The Kenyan union described the interns’ protest as a legitimate labour concern, arguing that peacefully demanding timely deployment, fair treatment and dignified working conditions should not be treated as a criminal offence.
KMPDU also called for an end to what it described as intimidation, violence and arbitrary arrests against healthcare workers exercising their rights.
The union urged the Ugandan Government, the Ministry of Health and medical interns to engage in dialogue to resolve the longstanding internship crisis and called for greater regional solidarity among healthcare professionals facing similar challenges.
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