Healthcare services at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital came to a standstill as medical workers downed their tools to join a peaceful demonstration regarding a disputed plot of land in the city.
Dressed in their medical uniforms, the staff blocked the main entrance of the hospital in protest.
The conflict revolves around a 4-acre prime land situated adjacent to Jinja Hospital and Bax Road, which has been utilized as a cemetery by the Muslim community since 1927.
During Eid celebrations last week, members of the Muslim community gathered on the disputed land, asserting their ownership rights and rejecting any development plans proposed by the hospital.
However, Jinja Hospital insists on its claim to the land, intending to utilize it for medical infrastructure development.
In response to the protest, law enforcement officers, led by the DPC of Jinja Central Police Division, have deployed heavily in and around the hospital premises.
The disputed land was recently allocated to the Jinja Muslim community by the State Minister for Lands, Dr. Sam Mayanja, adding fuel to the ongoing dispute.
