Magistrate orders interns to remove clinical coats in court, then grants colleagues bail

What the report says

A Kampala court has granted bail to eight medical interns and health workers who were arrested during a protest over unpaid internship allowances. According to The Independent Uganda, Grade One Magistrate Rophine Acayo of Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court approved cash bail of 200,000 shillings each, with sureties bonded at 3 million shillings apiece, and ordered the accused not to repeat the alleged offence.

The group was arrested on August 12 along Parliamentary Avenue while wearing white coats and carrying placards calling for payment of medical interns. Prosecutors said they caused inconvenience or danger to traffic and charged them with being a nuisance on a public road. The defendants denied the charges when they first appeared in court.

The report also said that on Monday, supporters who attended court in clinical coats were told to remove them because they were not in a hospital, highlighting the tense atmosphere around the case. Defence lawyers argued the accused are professionals who should return to work, while prosecutors said investigations had been completed.

The case reflects broader frustration among Ugandan medical interns over delayed deployment, welfare concerns, and the government’s stance on internship pay. The matter is scheduled to return to court on September 21, 2026, when the hearing is expected to begin.