Members of the Uganda Medical Association -UMA have voted to suspend their president Dr Samuel Oledo for four years and have voted to replace him with Dr Edith Nakku-Joloba.
Oledo was on the spot for leading a group of intern doctors to publicly endorse President Yoweri Museveni who has been in power for nearly 37 years to run for the presidency in 2026. This took place at the National Resistance Movement-NRM Party Youth Symposium held at the Kololo ceremonial grounds more than a week ago.
Oledo, together with the medical interns who were fully dressed in their clinical coats was seen kneeling before Museveni while showering him with praises and asking him to stand for another term. His actions triggered concern among health professionals and the public drawing wide condemnation on social media.
Following the incident, members of the association led by Dr Ronald Kazibwe started collecting signatures for a petition to allow them to call for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the matter, as the association constitution stipulates.
98 per cent of the doctors who attended an Extraordinary General Meeting voted that Oledo had breached articles three and seven of the association constitution and when asked whether the doctor should be removed from office as president and suspended from membership for four years.
In a phone call on Sunday, Dr Herbert Luswata, the Association General Secretary confirmed the decisions reached during the Sunday General Meeting and said a detailed statement would be delivered during a press conference to be held on Monday morning.
Nakku becomes the second female leader of the doctors’ body which had the late Margaret Mungherera as the first lady leader of the association. If today’s decisions remain unchanged, Nakku will be at the helm of the association for the next year since a full term is two years.
Meanwhile, while Dr Oledo was unreachable for comment, URN had on Friday seen court documents where he wanted the court to stop the process of booting him. This case is scheduled for a hearing on Monday.