Doctors vote Oledo out of office

Members of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have voted to suspend their president Dr Samuel Oledo for four years and voted Dr Edith Nakku-Jolobo to replace him.

Dr Oledo was on the spot for leading a group of intern doctors to publicly endorse President Yoweri Museveni who has been in power for 37 years to run for the presidency in 2026. This took place at the Kololo ceremonial grounds during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party Youth Symposium held more than a week ago.

Dr Oledo, together with the medical interns donning 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.

On Sunday, 98 per cent of the doctors who attended an Extraordinary General Meeting voted that Dr Oledo had breached articles three and seven of the association constitution and decided to remove him from office as the president and suspend his membership for four years.

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.

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 the 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. However, he on Friday petitioned High Court in Kampala to stop the process of booting him. This case is also scheduled for a hearing on Monday.