Former Ugandan military intelligence chief, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) David Sejusa, has sharply criticised the government’s decision to remove allowances for medical interns, questioning what he terms inconsistencies in national spending priorities and education policy direction.
In a social media commentary, Sejusa challenged the rationale behind the policy shift, arguing that the state appears willing to allocate substantial resources to non-essential expenditure while withholding relatively smaller amounts required to support young medical professionals undergoing training.
He questioned why government could not sustain funding for what he described as a “small cohort” of intern doctors, estimated at a cost of about Shs28 billion, while continuing to approve higher spending in other areas.
“Why can’t government find money to pay a few thousand intern doctors? What is the logic?” he posed, adding that public spending priorities appear misaligned with national development goals.
Sejusa pointed to the reported Shs200 billion allocation for vehicle purchases for political leaders, contrasting it with the decision to withdraw support for medical interns.
He also criticised what he described as disparities in salary structures within the education sector, where science teachers receive significantly higher pay compared to their arts counterparts, despite both feeding into the same higher education system.
According to him, the state has invested heavily in promoting science education and encouraging students to pursue careers in medicine, engineering, and emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology, only to later withdraw financial support at a critical stage of professional training.
The retired general further questioned the rationale behind state expenditure on Members of Parliament, arguing that lawmakers already earn substantial monthly salaries yet still receive additional benefits, including government-funded vehicles.
“Why do we give free cars to MPs who earn Shs50 million per month?” he asked, suggesting that such allocations reflect misplaced priorities in public resource management.
Sejusa went further to describe the situation as either a case of deep systemic incompetence or deliberate policy distortion, stating that he struggles to understand the underlying logic guiding government decisions.
“Either the people in charge are subversive, silent enemies of the state, or they are extremely ignorant and incompetent. So, which is it?” he remarked.
He also framed the issue within broader scientific and global health developments, noting that modern healthcare systems increasingly depend on fields such as biotechnology, pharmacology, and laboratory-to-patient research translation.
He argued that medical interns represent a critical link in that chain, bridging academic training and practical healthcare delivery.
Sejusa maintained that neglecting such trainees undermines long-term investment in national health systems, particularly at a time when global health challenges require skilled professionals capable of working across research and clinical environments.
The remarks come amid ongoing public debate in Uganda over the government’s decision to scrap monthly allowances for medical interns, a move officials have defended as part of a broader restructuring of health training financing.