By Ivan Mwine
The Uganda Medical Association (U.M.A) National Executive Committee (NEC) have distance themselves from the actions of the Association’s president Dr. Samuel Oledo Odongo, who led a group of medics in kneeling down before president Yoweri Museveni, begging him to contest for presidency in 2026.
Dr. Oledo raised lots of controversy on Saturday, during a Youth Symposium that was held at Kololo Ceremonial grounds, after he and a group of medics went down on bended knees and literally begged Museveni to seek another term in office.
However, Oledo’s actions have since attracted a blacklash from several sections of the public, with many Ugandans faulting him for being partisan and portraying that the UMA is no longer an independent body but a political wing of the ruling National Resistance Movement.
But following Oledo’s partisan gesture, the U.M.A NEC has since issued a statement about the matter, making it clear to the public that whatever Oledo did was done in his individual capacity and that it is not UMA’s position.
This is revealed in a statement issued by the U.M.A NEC through the Association’s Vice President Dr. Edith Nakku -Joloba and Secretary General Dr. Herbert Luswata.
Commenting about the incident in their statement, U.M.A said thus; ‘…. Uganda National Medical Association National Executive Committee (NEC) met about the incident in which the U.M.A president was recorded in several clips making statements at the NRM Youth Symposium at Kololo, alongside some medical students and nurses; persons who did not represent U.M.A NEC or U.M.A at the meeting. The U.M.A NEC would like to state that;
- i) Uganda National Medical Association is non-partisan and therefore does not participate in political activities of a partisan nature. The U.M.A respects, honours and is committed to service to its members and to the public as an association of professionals promulgated under the laws of Uganda.
- ii) The current U.M.A president attended the particular meeting in his personal capacity but not as U.M.A and his communications at that meeting were not representing the position (s) of U.M.A.
iii) U.M.A disassociates itself from any and all partisan political actions or acts, and is constitutionally required to do so. U.M.A is committed to remain neutral to and serve all Ugandan doctors and persons from all the political dispensations of, and in Uganda and globally.
- iv) M.A NEX remains committed to the mandate given to it by all its members and requests the Medical Fraternity and the public who U.M.A serves, to keep calm as our internal systems handle this matter with the utmost care and the trust that Medical doctors and the people we serve have given us. The U.M.A NEC is committed to serve members of U.M.A in all their diversity.
However, by press time Oledo had not yet come out to clarify more about the matter, although sources within the U.M.A have since revealed that medics are mounting on him pressure to resign his position as president.
Watch this space for details!
