The dispute now places Tooro at a delicate crossroads between customary authority and Uganda’s legal framework. Omusuuga Kamurasi has called for respect for tradition and the law, while President Museveni has called for peace and unity among the Batooro.
On commercial diplomacy, the United States is shifting assistance toward private-sector-led growth, including efforts with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Taiwan to connect every Pacific Islands Forum country to a trusted undersea cable network. A second Pacific Investment Summit is scheduled to be hosted in early 2027.
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 spokesperson said the new arrangement breaks with previous practice, under which government catered for these necessities and paid monthly internship allowances. She added that it also undermines the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which provided for enhanced allowances and better welfare for health workers.
The government failed to deploy over 1,500 medical interns who qualified in 2023 and 2024, including doctors, dental surgeons, nurses/midwives, and pharmacy graduates.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, has summoned the Minister of Health, Jane Ruth Aceng, to address concerns about the deployment of medical interns.