Interns not entitled to salary, other employee benefits—Court

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The Court of Appeal has dismissed a case filed by a former intern at Service & Computer Industries Uganda Limited.

In a decision delivered on August 6, 2025, a coram comprising justices Musa Ssekaana, Dr Asa Mugenyi, and Stella Aliboteese upheld the earlier ruling of the Industrial Court, dismissing Robert Kasito’s appeal with costs.

Kasito had initially sued the company in the Labour Division of the High Court, presided over by Justice Linda Lillian Tumusiime Mugisha, arguing that he was entitled to payment for services rendered during his internship.

He claimed that the company had been paying him a monthly stipend of shillings 700,000, but later terminated his service without explanation or compensation.

However, the Industrial Court in its decision stated that Kasito was not an employee within the meaning of the Employment Act and therefore not entitled to employment benefits.

Dissatisfied with that decision, Kasito appealed to the Court of Appeal, but Court of Appeal agreed with the lower court’s reasoning.

“I therefore find that the learned Judge was right in concluding that the appellant was an intern and not an employee within the meaning of the law,” Justice Ssekaana said.

According to the unanimous decision, the entire appeal lacks merit and does not deserve any compensation.

Kasito was engaged by Service & Computer Industries Uganda Ltd as an intern on July 1, 2020 and deployed in Mbarara on January 6, 2021, he was transferred to Kampala and on March 1, 2021, his internship was terminated.

He subsequently lodged a complaint at the labour office, saying his service was unfairly terminated and he had wasted a lot of time, for which he sought compensation. The court stated that the relationship between Kasito and the company was strictly an internship arrangement, not full-time employment.