The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has condemned the arrest and detention of eight medical interns in Uganda following a protest over allowances and their working conditions.
The interns were arrested on August 12, 2026, during a demonstration along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala, where they wore white coats and carried placards demanding payment of their allowances.
The eight were charged with causing a common nuisance, with prosecutors accusing them of obstructing or inconveniencing traffic. They denied the charges before appearing at the Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court, where they were remanded to Luzira Prison.
Their lawyer, Yasin Ssentumbwe Munagomba, argued that the interns serve the public and should be released on bail. However, the prosecution asked for more time to respond to the bail application, with the case adjourned to August 17.
Medical practitioners display banners during a past picketing exercise.
KMPDU
The arrests come amid tensions over Uganda’s new National Education and Training for Health (NETH) policy, which treats internships as continued training rather than formal employment. The policy has seen monthly allowances withdrawn for some interns, although the government says sponsored interns will continue receiving facilitation.
The interns have raised concerns over how they will meet basic expenses such as food, accommodation and transport, particularly when deployed to facilities far from their homes. They have also cited concerns over protective equipment, post-exposure care and outstanding allowances.
Ugandan Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi has directed interns to report to their assigned duty stations, warning that those who fail to do so by August 15 could lose their placements. The government maintains that the policy is part of reforms to health-professional training and says consultations on the concerns are ongoing.
KMPDU has criticised the arrests, saying healthcare workers should not be subjected to intimidation or criminal enforcement for raising concerns about their welfare. The union has called for the immediate and unconditional release of the detained interns.
In addition, KMPDU said the challenges facing medical interns extend beyond Uganda, with delayed deployment, unpaid stipends and difficult working conditions affecting young healthcare workers across East Africa. The union called for regional solidarity in pushing for better working conditions.
The Kenyan union’s intervention comes as the welfare and employment of young doctors also remain major issues in Kenya. On July 1, more than 6,000 medical interns began their mandatory 12-month internship programme after being posted by the Ministry of Health.
The development followed a deal between the Ministry of Health and KMPDU that included a commitment to recruit 2,000 doctors, with the new hires expected to help ease staffing shortages and heavy workloads in public hospitals.
The developments in both countries have placed the treatment of medical interns and young doctors firmly on the healthcare agenda, with questions over allowances, deployment, employment and working conditions continuing to shape discussions between governments and healthcare workers.
Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah addressing a press conference on January 30, 2024.
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