The Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has remanded eight medical interns and health workers on charges in connection with a protest over the government’s failure to pay them while on internship.
The eight were arrested on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala while wearing white medical coats and carrying placards calling for the payment of medical interns.
They were then, today, Friday, arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Rophine Acayo and charged with being a nuisance on a public road, contrary to Section 67(1)(e) and 1(a) of the Roads Act, Chapter 346.
The accused are Dr. Jamadah Kagahe, 26; Jane Nantege, 25, an Intern pharmacist; Lawrence William Mukiibi, 26, a nurse; Nicholas Wamuwaya, 28; Silver Ssengonga, 27; Allan Okwir, 26, a pharmacist; Daniel Kirunda, 33, an intern doctor at Kiruddu Hospital; and Ggala Luke, 32, an intern doctor at Kiryadongo General Hospital.
According to the charge sheet, the eight allegedly placed themselves on Parliamentary Avenue in a manner that caused danger or inconvenience to traffic. The prosecution alleges that the protesters were carrying placards bearing messages including, “Say No to NET Policy,” “No Pay, No Reporting,” and “For the Good of All Ugandans Pay All Medical Interns.”
The accused persons who appeared in court wearing clinical courts have all denied the charges. They were represented by lawyers led by Yasin Ssentumbwe Yasin Munagomba from the Foundation For Human Rights Initiative.
The prosecution told the court that inquiries into the matter had been completed and asked for a hearing date. The defence, however, applied for bail, asking the court to release the accused as they continue with their professional and public service duties.
The Court has heard that the defense had been unable to submit the documents for the proposed sureties through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) because the system was reportedly down.
Ssentumbwe also asked the court to grant the accused bail, arguing that the medical professionals had been introduced by the Uganda Medical Association and the Federation of Uganda Medical Interns.
He told the court that the accused serve in the public interest and said this should be considered as the court determines their request for bail.
The court has instead remanded them until Monday, August 17th 2026 for a formal hearing of the application.
The remand follows increasing demands among medical interns over their payment and reporting arrangements. The interns have been calling for payment and have raised objections to government policies of deploying them when they are not supposed to earn, which they say affects their ability to report for internship and provide services in health facilities.
