Court Thursday issued an order stopping the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) from suspending its president, Dr Samuel Odongo Oledo.

This follows an application by Oledo against UMA, seeking to restrain their officers or persons acting under them, her agents or employees and any other persons claiming under her from implementing resolutions dated December 6, 2022.

On December 6, UMA resolved to investigate Oledo’s conduct of engaging in partisan politics, contending that it contravenes their constitution. This was after the latter (Oledo) appeared at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds for the National Resistance Movement Youth Symposium.

On Thursday, head of Civil Division of the High Court Musa Ssekaana stopped UMA from suspending Oledo, pending the determination of the main case. In the main case, Oledo argues that his suspension from office is illegal.

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

Justifying the order, Ssekaana said this will meet the ends of justice.

“The court must keep in mind the principles of justice and fair play and should exercise its discretion only if the ends of justice require it,” he said.

The court added that the applicant has been interrupted in his term as a duly elected President of UMA and that this is a greater inconvenience caused to him.

“If the temporary injunction is not issued, he may lose an opportunity which may have been filled by another person (third party) since the respondent has attempted to have him replaced,” Ssekaana observed.

Oledo was replaced by his deputy, Dr Edith Nakku-Joloba on Sunday.

The court said the new leadership has not been in office for more than 24 hours prior to hearing of the case and, therefore, there is no prejudice suffered by the association.

Suspension

The association suspended their president Oledo for four years after he appeared at Kololo ceremonial grounds for the NRM party Youth Symposium over a week ago.

He was suspended after he was found guilty of engaging in partisan politics in contravention of the UMA constitution.

Petition

Last week, Oledo sued UMA in the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala, challenging a decision by the association committee to suspend him, saying is unfair.

In his petition, Oledo claims that the investigations committee instituted by the association leadership did not follow established procedures and hence seeks review of its decision.

Oledo contests that the grounds upon which he was asked to step aside and pave the way for investigations into his conduct.

This comes at a time Oledo led the association members to meet President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at State House, Entebbe.

Museveni met the health workers and they discussed issues concerning salary enhancement, deployment of doctors, the recruitment of workers and to improve the health sector in the country.

Also reviewed were some of the pledges made by Museveni, including boosting of the health workers SACCO with sh4b. The President was also briefed on the milestone the association has so far registered.

The health workers commended Museveni for his efforts in improving Uganda’s health sector especially the welfare of the medical fraternity.

About UMA

Uganda Medical Association which was established in 1964 is a registered non-government professional organisation that brings together all the qualified and duly registered medical doctors in Uganda. The association boasts of a membership of 5,000 health workers in Uganda and 3,000 in the diaspora.