The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has questioned the government’s decision to allocate Shs158 billion for Members of Parliament’s vehicles while withdrawing allowances for medical interns, saying the move reflects misplaced national priorities.
Speaking during an ordination and installation service at All Saints’ Cathedral in Kampala on Sunday, Kaziimba questioned how government could afford billions for MPs’ cars while claiming it lacks the estimated Shs28 billion needed to facilitate medical interns.
“You cannot say that you have Shs158 billion to purchase cars for Members of Parliament and then claim that you do not have Shs28 billion to pay medical interns’ allowances,” the Archbishop said, arguing that junior doctors carry much of the burden in Uganda’s public health facilities.
His remarks come amid growing public outrage over government’s decision to scrap monthly upkeep allowances for medical interns under the new health training policy. The reforms also require medical students to complete a mandatory one-year internship before receiving their degrees.
Medical interns currently receive about Shs1 million per month, down from the Shs2.4 million that had previously been agreed upon following a presidential directive issued after strikes by health workers over poor pay and working conditions.
The controversy has reignited debate over government spending priorities, with health advocates arguing that funds earmarked for MPs’ vehicles could instead help address critical staffing shortages in hospitals and support frontline healthcare workers.
According to Ministry of Health figures, Uganda faces a significant shortage of healthcare personnel, with the number of available health workers far below the country’s requirements. The situation has increased reliance on interns and junior medical staff in public facilities.
Kaziimba also urged government to strengthen support for health workers responding to the ongoing Ebola outbreak and called on the public to continue observing Ministry of Health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the disease.
His intervention adds the influential voice of the Church to a growing chorus of medical professionals, civil society groups and activists demanding that government prioritize healthcare funding over what critics describe as luxury spending.
