Medical trainees protest over allowances

Policemen engage the protesting students in Mbale town. Photo by Fred Wambede

MBALE-  Police in Mbale town have  blocked medical interns from heading to the office of the  Residential District Commissioner to handover a petition protesting  the scraping of allowances for medical interns.

Police intercepted the procession from Busitema University Medical School.

Police maintained that the medical interns had not written to them to get permission as stipulated in the Public Order Management Act.

“Under the Public Order Management, anybody intending to organise a protest must write to police which they did not do. They cannot proceed,” Mr John Bosco Tukei, the police community liaison officer, said.

 Mr Cyrus Kambuga, the head of medical students of Busitema University, said it was wrong for police to stop them from delivering their petition because their welfare also affects police officers.

“Police should instead be accompanying and supporting us in this fight. Because out welfare means a lot to even the police officers,” Mr Kambuga, said.

He explained that the proposal by the Ministry of Education to scrap off allowance for private students and subjecting government sponsored students to a two year bonding period after completion of internship is unrealistic.