By: Melanie Aanyu

Uganda Medical Association (UMA) president Dr Samuel Odong Oledo has rejected calls by the association’s executive members to step aside to allow a probe by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee into his conduct after he last Saturday led a group of other medical practitioners to kneel and endorse President Museveni’s candidature for another term of office come 2026.

Dr Oledo is accused of using the association for his personal political gains to express his support for Mr Museveni who has been in power since 1986 and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party which UMA members said compromises the association’s values.

According to Dr Oledo, Mr Museveni, 78, being the NRM national chairman which he (Dr Oledo) subscribes to and the fountain of honour, he deserves respect for what he has done for the country since he came to power.

Dr Oledo also wondered whether he was being criminalized for asking his party President “basing on the achievement and the great contributions he has made” to come back in 2026.

The unapologetic Dr Oledo said he was discussing with the ethics team to see that all that’s happening is handled smoothly and to its logical conclusion.

However, UMA members and some critics have argued that Dr Oledo’s actions are contrary to what the association he heads stands for.