High Court Rules Against King Ceasor University Graduate in Internship Dispute

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1020 EAT on Tuesday 21 April 2026

The High Court has dismissed an application filed by Henry Gavin Mukalazi, a medical graduate of King Ceasor University, who had sued the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) after being denied deployment for internship.

Mukalazi, who graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) in 2023, petitioned the court following the council’s refusal to recognise his academic qualifications. NCHE argued that he had been admitted to medical school using invalid credentials.

Court proceedings heard that Mukalazi enrolled for the medical programme on the basis of a Bachelor’s degree in Diagnostic Ultrasound obtained in July 2016 from the Ernest Cook Ultrasound Research and Education Institute.

However, the court found that the ultrasound qualification had itself been pursued using a certificate in Comprehensive Nursing—an entry route that did not meet the minimum requirements for admission into a bachelor’s degree programme in Uganda.
On that basis, the court upheld NCHE’s decision, effectively barring Mukalazi from internship deployment.

Mukalazi contended that the National Council for Higher Education had abdicated its regulatory responsibility by permitting him to pursue his studies over several years and accept tuition fees, only to later invalidate his qualifications.

He argued that the denial of internship placement was unlawful and infringed on his constitutional right to practise his profession. However, in his ruling, acting judge Bonny Isaac Teko dismissed the application, finding that Mukalazi failed to meet the minimum entry requirements at the initial stage of his academic journey.

The judge underscored that a certificate in Comprehensive Nursing, or any post-O-Level qualification, does not qualify as a valid entry requirement for admission into a bachelor’s degree programme, thereby rendering all subsequent academic credentials irregular.

Justice Teko further observed that although the Constitution guarantees the right to practise a profession, that right is contingent upon compliance with the legal and regulatory frameworks governing specialised fields such as medicine.

Citing the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, the court noted that eligibility for registration requires both a recognised medical degree and the successful completion of a supervised internship at an accredited facility.

The court also clarified the role of NCHE, noting that while it is mandated to regulate and accredit higher education qualifications, the deployment of medical interns falls under the jurisdiction of the Uganda Medical and Dental Practitioners Council.

In conclusion, the judge held that NCHE acted within its legal mandate, and that its refusal to recognise Mukalazi’s qualifications lawfully barred him from proceeding to internship and eventual professional registration.

-Observer

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