JB Balikuddembe

Faith is the head chemist of the mind...!

[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

Don't be afraid of enemies who attack you, be afraid of friends who flatter you. Blessed weekend pals.

[Serina Nagujja @NagujjaSer6664]

This is what we mean when we say Lusoga to the World. Ebola PSPs in Lusoga. OTAZAANIRA KUBULAMU BWO! Bw'obona Obubonero, Kubira Mangu Omusawo. Naba Mu Ngalo n'Isabbuuni, Weyawule ku Balwaire, Kuba Ebola Aiita! @BusogaConsorti1 @KingNadiopeIV @UgandaMediaCent @ollamson

[Yoweri K Museveni @KagutaMuseveni]

#SONA2026 https://t.co/IvJFllwZfX

[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

You surely never know. Be kind always.

[Edward Ssekandi @ESsekandi]

You never know the silent battles people are fighting ,so be kind all the https://t.co/NTdfviGc0g costs nothing.

[Augustine Ruzindana @RuzindanaA]

Morning Public Plea:
The position taken on the payment of Intern “Doctors” should be reviewed urgently. They are “Doctors” who have completed their academic studies and when deployed they perform the “donkey” doctors’ work in hospitals and clinics. That they have always been paid is an established tradition and precedent.
The sources of funds are there:
1. innumerable perks of various officials that can be slightly reduced without material injury to afflicted officials;
2. Expenditures on vehicles when not on official duty;
3. Travel inland and abroad that don’t add value to the country;
4. Various administrative expenditures that can be varied without affecting the quality of service delivery;
Etc, etc
Finally Interns are not so many that paying them will distort the attainment of planned government spending objectives.
This will remain a constant irritant labour injustice by/for/to government unless appropriately handled definitively.

[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

@PeshK319 Thank you! The cost of online transaction is a mess!

[Uganda Medical Association @TheUMAofficial]

Let us be honest: the issue is not that medical interns are too many.
It is not that Uganda has no money.
It is that medical interns are not being treated as a priority.

Consider the choices being made:

• Parliament keeps growing.
Parliament’s budget reportedly doubled to about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭. 𝟮 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻. The money going to 529 MPs rose from about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟰𝟬𝟬𝗯 in 2020/21 to 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟳𝟰𝟰.𝟰𝗯 in 2026/27, an increase of about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟰𝟰.𝟰𝗯.
What direct return does this give the common Ugandan in a crowded hospital?

• Two offices alone tell the story.
The Speaker and Deputy Speaker offices had about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟳.𝟭𝗯 combined in 2020/21. In 2026/27, they stand at about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟱𝟬.𝟮𝗯 , an increase of about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟰𝟯.𝟭𝗯 for only two offices.
That increase alone can pay 𝟯𝟬𝟬𝟬 interns 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭𝗺 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿, with money left.

• Questionable spending continues.
In 2025/26, selected Speaker’s office lines reportedly included 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟮.𝟰𝗯 for foreign travel, 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟵𝟲𝟲𝗺 for fuel, 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟰.𝟴𝗯 for incapacity, death benefits and funeral expenses, and 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟱.𝟮𝗯 for donations. Total: about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭𝟰.𝟮𝗯. What lasting public health return does this produce compared with doctors on wards?

• RDC structures are being funded.
Uganda reportedly has 146 RDCs, 170 Deputy RDCs and 432 Assistant RDCs, total 748 officials. Their proposed salary enhancement requires an extra 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟮𝟵.𝟬𝟳𝟵𝗯 every year.
Add the reported 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟬𝗯 for LC I to LC V political leader facilitation, and that is about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟱𝟵𝗯. In what way does this benefit the common Ugandan?

• Donations are funded.
State House donations reportedly consumed 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟳𝟱𝟭𝗯 over seven financial years. In 2023/24 alone, donations were budgeted at 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭𝟴.𝟭𝗯, but actual spending reached 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟴𝟬.𝟭𝟴𝗯. If tens and hundreds of billions can be found for donations, how does 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟮𝟰𝗯 to 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟲𝗯 for over 2,000 medical interns become impossible?

• Health was not protected with the same urgency.
The Ministry of Health vote fell from about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭. 𝟲𝟵𝟯 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 in FY2023/24 to about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭. 𝟯𝟰𝟰 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 in FY2024/25, a reduction of about 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟰𝟵𝗯. Even the 2025/26 estimate of 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟭.𝟱𝟲𝟰 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 remains below the 2023/24 level. Yet health is the sector that directly touches mothers in labour, accident victims, children with malaria, emergency patients and families in public hospitals.

Now compare:

• 2,000 interns × Shs1m × 12 months = 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟮𝟰𝗯 per year
• 2,500 interns × Shs1m × 12 months = 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟬𝗯 per year
• 3,000 interns × Shs1m × 12 months = 𝗦𝗵𝘀 𝟯𝟲𝗯 per year

Even using the Ministry of Health’s own gross figure of Shs15.6m per intern per year, the reported 2,706 eligible interns would require about Shs42.2b. That is still small compared with what is being found for political comfort and administrative expansion.

That money is not a handout.

✨ It avails doctors on wards.
✨ It keeps emergency units covered.
✨ It supports maternity care.
✨ It fills staffing gaps in regional referrals.
✨ It protects patients.

So let us stop pretending.

This is not a numbers problem.
This is not a money problem.
It is a priority problem.

Medical interns are doctors under apprenticeship, not free labour!

#InternsNotSlaves

[ALTON 🩺 @NewtonAllan6]

This cartoon by Spire deserves 1000 likes.

Let’s all stand together for Medical Interns. 💪

[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

Dear Speaker @ObothOboth and Deputy speaker @Thomas_Tayebwa i trust in you and this won't happen under your watch. @CHRISBARYOMUNS1 May the Lord use you to save us from being treated by angry and hungry interns.

[Dr. Sserunjogi Emma @DrSerunjogiEmma]

From ~Dr. Daniel Tumwine.~

Medical Doctors since 1986 have increased by 360%

Members of Parliament since 1986 have increased by 1,361%

There is no difficulty in funding one, but it's impossible to fund the other

[Dr. Bireete Sarah @SarahBireete]

Why can’t government re-allocate the money saved from public celebrations (24BN) to @MinofHealthUG for medical interns @henrymusasizi1 @CHRISBARYOMUNS1 @ObothOboth @Thomas_Tayebwa ? Medical interns do so much work in hospitals and it’s only fair that they should be paid for their labour @TheUMAofficial

[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

@SpireJim The data that used to take me for a month now takes me two weeks.

May be fuel prices are affecting data costs!

[Ministry of Finance @mofpedU]

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AGREES TO FINANCE SGR PROJECT:

The Vice President of the African Development Bank Dr.Abdul Kamara,in charge of Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery has reaffirmed the Commitment of the African Development Bank to finance the construction of the 326km standard gauge railway (SGR) section in Uganda from Malaba to Kampala.

The Bank’s Vice President made the pledge while meeting Uganda's delegation led by the Temporary Governor, Mustapha Achidri- Assistant Commissioner at the Finance Ministry on the sidelines of the African Development Bank Annual meetings, 2026 in Brazzaville,Republic of Congo.

The @AfDB_Group Vice President said the SGR project is well aligned with the Bank's cardinal priority of building resilient infrastructure on the African Continent.

The Bank has already tentatively allocated UA 480 million (Approx USD 650 million),however the final project financing arrangements will be concluded during the next appraisal mission next month in June 2026, based on the approval of African Development Fund 17.

Dr.Kamara also pledged the support  of AfDB to the tune of USD 1 million to Uganda as emmergency response to the fight against Ebola.

In his remarks,Achidri welcomed the commitment of the AfDB to fund the SGR,adding that @GovUganda is currently mobilising EUR 2.7 billion to finance the construction of the SGR,a key enabler under the Tenfold Growth Strategy.

He also thanked the Bank for the continuous support to Uganda. He made specific reference to the recently approved projects by the Bank's Board including: Additional financing for the Uganda Rural Electrification Project 1 worth EUR 7.33 million and Uganda Rural Electrification Access Project Phase II worth EUR 101.23 million.

On behalf of Uganda,Achidri congratulated the President of AfDB Dr. Sidi Ould Tah upon his election to the helm of Africa's beacon of hope and transformation.

"The Government of Uganda pledges its support to your endeavours during your tenure," said Achidri.

The meeting was also attended by Bhebhe Themba the Country Manager AfDB (Uganda), Yvette Glele-Ahanhanzo, Director, Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery and Maria, Antonia, Joy Kategekwa, Director, Regional Coordination Office.

[Pulse Uganda @PulseUganda]

A good mentor will open doors you didn't even know existed. Here is the professional way to get one.

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[JB Balikuddembe @DdembeJozeph]

@faith_nabushawo All are sources of income! Period

[Dr. Sserunjogi Emma @DrSerunjogiEmma]

The biggest problem that has and is going to make Ebola management worse is Uganda trying to play it safe... Painting a safe picture to international community at the expense of its citizens.

Ebola is here and it's only going to get worse.
In health believe model, if people don't perceive the threat, they won't take behaviour action change.

[Isaac Kiiza Tibasiima 🇺🇬 @ITibasiima]

Men

Being a husband is NOT a right. It is a RESPONSIBILITY that comes with huge expectations. Husbands are called to LEAD both wife & children by example, spiritually, physically, & financially. A man who cannot lead has ceded his place to the one who does. He mustn't complain!

[Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga @RebeccaKadagaUG]

Thanks to My staff at the EAC Ministry, for surprise treat @BusogaTourism

[Muhoozi Kainerugaba @mkainerugaba]

My young brother Hon.Kabanda is the General Secretary of the Patriotic League of Uganda, a much more important position than being a cabinet minister. His job is to organise and mobilise the millions of young people in our country. Kabanda will get a ministerial job when Todwong gets one.

[Susan Kabonero Muhwezi @SusanMuhwezi]

Congratulations Darling . Glory to God frwhom all blessings come . We Thank H. E The President of Uganda for appointing Jim yet again and He pledges to serve you and the people of Uganda . Thank you MK for the trust you have in Jim as CDF , & Afande Saleh his comrade. God bless

[DR. CHRIS BARYOMUNSI @CHRISBARYOMUNS1]

@mkainerugaba I rose from obscurity to where am because of my abilities not favours from anybody. Am self made. Being a Minister is not necessarily the best thing in life. My horizon is far beyond that. Let's serve Uganda. Cheers.

[Yoweri K Museveni @KagutaMuseveni]

https://t.co/OewBRsH1qF