PS tells Health Minister to follow the law, quashes ‘suspension’ of Dr Candia

What the report says

The Ministry of Health has said Dr Robert Candia, a doctor at Arua Regional Referral Hospital, remains on duty after State Minister for Health Anifa Bangirana Kawooya appeared in a video to declare that he was suspended. According to the report from The Independent Uganda, the dispute began during an official visit to the hospital, where Kawooya confronted Candia over his manner of addressing her while keeping his hands in his pockets.

In the video, the minister is seen rebuking the doctor and saying he was suspended, before Candia is guided away. The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, later clarified that disciplinary matters in the public service must follow established procedures and that any action against a public officer has to comply with administrative rules. That statement effectively overturned the minister’s on-the-spot declaration and indicated that Candia had not been formally removed from work.

The incident drew criticism from the Uganda Medical Association, which said hospitals should not be turned into scenes for public confrontation and urged that the alleged suspension be withdrawn. The episode has also fed wider debate in Uganda about high-profile inspection tours by officials, especially when reprimands are issued publicly before formal processes are completed. Critics say such actions can undermine due process, while supporters argue they help expose poor performance and enforce accountability.