Kiruhura district leads with 11.2%, and Mbarara City is at 9.9% against the national HIV prevalence of 4.9%.

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The Standards Utilities and Wildlife Chief Magistrate Court has convicted a Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) soldier and a nurse over unlawful possession of ARVs.


Chief magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu on March 10, 2026, convicted Jimmy Kisembo, 37, a soldier and health worker attached to Kabamba Military Academy Barracks in Mubende, and Mayi Musoke, 52, an enrolled nurse and former head of Makole Health Centre II, residing in Makole, Ssembabule district.
The duo was convicted together with Wilson Mbuse, a 34-year-old peasant resident of Mpumudde trading centre in Ssembabule district, and were all remanded to Luzira Prison until March 17 for sentencing.

The charges

Court heard that Kisembo, Musoke, Mbuse and others, still at large, on October 22, 2025, at Mpumudde village in Makole parish, Ssembabule district, had in their possession 174 tins of Dolutegravir/Lamivudine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (50mg/300mg/300mg) tablets, commonly known as ARVs taken by HIV-positive patients and 10 cartons of artemether tablets (anti-malarial).


The offence is contrary to provisions of Section 27(2) of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act, Cap 198. Upon conviction, a person faces two years’ imprisonment.
It is further alleged that on October 22, 2025, the three were found in possession of 10 cartons of artemether, 20mg/120mg lumefantrine tablets, 50 cartons of Bioline malaria Ag Pf test devices, and 11 tins of Dolutegravir Disoproxil Formulate bearing marks “Government of Uganda—Not for Sale,” which were reasonably suspected to have been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

The offences are contrary to sections 27(2) of the National Drug Policy and Authority Act, Cap 198, and 296(2) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 128, respectively. Unlawful possession attracts two years, while possession of classified drugs attracts a sentence not exceeding five years or a fine of 100 currency points, or both.

State prosecutor Martin Arinaitwe told the court in mitigation that the offences the convicts are charged with have been on the rise and that the state needs court intervention by giving a strict sentence that would deter such crimes from being committed again.

He added that possession of classified drugs poses a risk to consumers, as storage is compromised, rendering them hazardous.

Arinaitwe added that unlawful possession of government stores deprives vulnerable Ugandans of drugs, which are not only given freely but also a lifeline.

“There is no known market for ARVs, and their sale may be a security risk to the Government since the users are not known. I call upon the court to send a message by punishing them to guarantee the safety of all Ugandans,” he added.

He further told the court that the Government spends a lot of money restocking to meet the unending demand for these drugs. The soldier and nurse are government employees who ought to have known better their responsibility to jealously protect their employer and tools of work.

Defence mitigation

Kisembo, through his lawyer, told court that he is a first-time offender, his participation was minor, and the drugs had not been damaged. He continued that he is a soldier who is still productive to the state, remorseful and repentant, and is the sole breadwinner with children below 10 years.
Mbuse, in a trembling voice, told court that he has a pregnant wife and four children, two of whom belonged to his late brother. He added that by the time of his arrest he had a loan, and now the bank is taking his house, leaving his children homeless, thus requesting a lenient sentence.
Nurse Musoke told the court that she has no criminal record, is remorseful, served the Government for 21 years with a clean record, and was head of Makole Health Centre II for 16 years. She added that the Government has invested much in her. She is a single mother with seven dependants—some university-going, others in secondary and primary school—and thus requested a non-custodial sentence.