UMA executives slam Dr Oledo for kneeling, endorsing Museveni

A section of Uganda Medical Association (UMA) members wants their president Dr Samuel Odong Oledo to resign after he led a group of some medical practitioners to kneel before President Museveni as he begged him (Museveni) to contest again in 2026.
“Your excellency, thank you. You have uplifted us (medical practitioners). We kneel before you after assessing that you are capable. We have assessed that you have the power. You have everything needed. Help us and contest again in 2026 and take us ahead as you secure our future. We want Uganda to reach where God expects it to be,” Dr Oledo said as he knelt before Mr Museveni, 78, who has been in power since 1986 when he shot his way to State House through a guerrilla warfare.

Dr Oledo's oral petition was made during the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Youth Patriotism Symposium at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala on December 3.

However, Dr Oledo’s deputy, Edith Nakku-Jolaba and the association’s secretary general, Herbert Luswata say he (Oledo) attended the meeting and made remarks in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the association.

“UMA national executive had two separate meetings about the incident in which the UMA president was recorded in a clip making several statements at the NRM youth symposium at Kololo, alongside some medical students and nurses, persons who did not represent UMA NEC or UMA at that meeting. The UMA NEC agreed and would like to state that UMA is nonpartisan and therefore, does not participate in political activities of partisan nature. The UMA respects, honours and is committed to service to its members and to the public as an association of professionals promulgated under the laws of the government of Uganda. The current UMA president attended the particular meeting in his personal capacity but not as UMA and his communications at the meeting were not representing the official position of UMA,” a statement signed by Nakku-Jolaba and Luswata reads in part.

They contend that the association has always engaged with President Museveni through formal, professional ways including appreciating him through their annual awards.

“The act of kneeling by Dr Oledo and the team doesn’t represent Modus Operandi of the Association.”

Dr Luswata said they earlier engaged Dr Oledo and asked him to issue a public apology in writing but he declined, something that reportedly left some members of the association more infuriated.

“The members are already calling for an extra-ordinary assembly so that they can cast a vote of no confidence. According to the constitution we have, NEC can initiate the meeting, however, the members can also write to me as secretary general asking for this extra ordinary assembly. I have not seen any other official documents from our members, apart phone calls and WhatsApp messages,” Dr Luswata told this reporter on Monday.
By the time of filing this story, our attempts to get a comment from Dr Oledo were futile as he was said to be in a meeting.