Eight medical interns detained at Luzira Prison over a demonstration against the Ministry of Health’s recruitment and remuneration policy have been granted bail by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Monday, August 17th, 2026.
The judicial officer presiding over the case, Magistrate Rophine Achayo, granted each of the eight doctors cash bail of UGX 200,000, while their sureties were each ordered to execute a non-cash bond of UGX 3 million.
The accused had been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison on Friday, August 14th, 2026, after they were arrested during a demonstration in Kampala over concerns surrounding the recruitment, deployment and remuneration of medical interns. Reports indicate that the protest involved demands for payment and clarity on the government’s internship arrangements.
The eight were charged with causing a common nuisance, with prosecutors alleging that their demonstration caused danger and inconvenience to traffic.
Their arrest and subsequent remand triggered concern among medical professionals and other stakeholders, with the case drawing attention to the growing frustrations among young doctors over their working conditions and government recruitment policies.
The doctors had reportedly been arrested along Parliamentary Avenue while wearing their white medical coats and carrying placards as they sought to raise their concerns.
With the bail granted, the eight doctors are expected to leave Luzira Prison once the necessary court formalities are completed.
The case will, however, continue as the prosecution pursues the common nuisance charges against the medical interns.
The development comes amid wider concerns over the welfare, deployment and remuneration of medical interns, whose role is critical to Uganda’s health system as they transition from medical training into professional practice.
