Uganda: Court Orders Reinstatement of Dr.Oledo as Uganda Medical Association President

22 December 2022

The High Court in Kampala has issued an order directing the reinstatement of Dr.Samuel Oledo as the Uganda Medical Association president with immediate effect.

The High Court in Kampala has issued an order directing the reinstatement of Dr. Samuel Oledo as the Uganda Medical Association president with immediate effect.

Over the weekend, UMA members sitting in an extraordinary general meeting voted Dr.Oledo out of office as the Uganda Medical Association president for breaching the constitution of the association.

They replaced him with Dr. Edith Nakku-Jolobo who had previously served as his deputy.

However, Oledo last week ran to court to stop his impeachment as UMA president.

However, in ruling on Thursday morning, Justice Musa Ssekaana issued a temporary injunction overturning all the decisions of the UMA members.

"A temporary injunction is issued restraining the respondent, her agents or employees and any other persons claiming under her from implementation of resolutions dated December,6, 2022 and this court stays whatever was done on December, 18, 2022 until the main cause is disposed of," Justice Ssekaana ruled.

The judge explained that it is in the interest of justice that Dr.Oledo is reinstated as UMA president until the court disposes of the main case in which he is challenging the actions of the doctors' body.

"The applicant is challenging the decision that resulted in resolutions which have now culminated in his removal from the elected position of President Uganda Medical Association. The applicant came to this court to vindicate his rights and stop illegal exercise of power by some individuals who wanted to stage a 'Leadership Coup'. This court has a duty to investigate and interrogate the allegations made by the applicant and this court cannot be outrun in ensuring that justice is done to a party before it."

"There are serious issues to be interrogated in the main application and this court is satisfied that the case for the applicant is not frivolous or vexatious under the circumstances."

The judge blasted the UMA members for rushing to hold an extraordinary meeting on Sunday that saw Dr.Oledo impeached and replaced by his deputy as UMA president.

"The status quo prior or as at the time the application was filed in this court on December, 9, 2022, ought to be preserved to avoid prejudice of rights of the applicant pending the determination of the main cause."

The development comes a few hours after Dr.Oledo met with President Museveni at State House in Entebbe.

The details of what was discussed however remain scanty.

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