UMA to sue health ministry over unpaid allowances as Museveni hosts Indians for Diwali

27 October 2025, 10:58 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) leadership, together with national representatives of Senior House Officers (SHOs), on Sunday held a special press briefing in Kampala to address the ongoing dispute over unpaid allowances for medical interns and SHOs who were recently removed from the payment schedules.

The meeting, attended by UMA officials and SHO leaders including Dr. Robert Lubega, resolved to take legal action against individual officials in the Ministry of Health for what they termed as “an illegal attempt to scrap and withhold payments” for medical interns and SHOs, amounting to three months of unpaid allowances.

“The Uganda Medical Association will now sue individuals at the Ministry of Health for their attempt to illegally scrap and refuse to pay allowances for medical interns and Senior House Officers totaling to three months,” the leaders said during the briefing.

The move follows a series of letters written to the ministry seeking clarification and redress. However, the ministry has not formally responded to the association’s second letter dated October 23, 2025, signed by Dr. Robert Lubega.

It should be recalled that on October 1, 2025, the Ministry of Health, through a letter signed by Mr. Charles Olaro on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, issued new guidelines on allowances for medical interns and SHOs. The ministry explained that 2,245 medical interns had been placed across 74 internship training centres for the 2025/26 internship year, as part of efforts to clear a backlog from the 2024/25 cohort.

The letter stated that the ministry’s top management, in consultation with other government agencies, had resolved that medical interns and SHOs already on the government payroll, refugee medical interns, and those on government scholarships would be deemed ineligible for allowances effective the 2025/26 financial year.

Meanwhile, President Yoweri Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni hosted members of Uganda’s Indian community at State House, Entebbe, to celebrate Diwali.

The President commended the Indian community for their contribution to Uganda’s economic growth through entrepreneurship, investment, and job creation.

“Uganda’s economy continues to grow because of the Indian community’s entrepreneurial spirit. Through their factories and services, they are helping us create jobs, a skilled middle class, and government revenue,” Museveni said.

He also emphasised the importance of unity and citizenship, reminding Ugandans of the nation’s diverse origins. “All these Ugandan groups came from somewhere. I wish you all a happy Diwali,” he added.