A group of Ugandan doctors sparked controversy on social media after they knelt before President Yoweri Museveni and asked him to contest in the 2026 general elections, BBC reported.
Museveni, 78, is one of the longest-serving leaders in Africa. He assumed power in 1986 and has since served as the leader of the East African nation. In 2005, the country’s parliament voted to scrap their constitution’s two-term limit to enable him to contest for another term. The septuagenarian, in 2017, also became eligible to once again contest after the age limit of 75 was also scrapped, per Reuters.
The doctors who knelt before President Museveni were said to be members of the Uganda Medical Association (UMA). They were taking part in a patriotism symposium when their leader led them to make the kneeling gesture.
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And during his speech, UMA president Dr. Samuel Odongo Oledo reportedly commended the president for revamping the health system of the East African nation and also making the welfare of medical health workers better. Dr. Oledo also asked President Museveni to contest in the country’s 2026 presidential election.
But the gesture raised eyebrows on social media, with a number of users accusing the members of having a soft spot for politicians, BBC reported. The UMA also tweeted that the group’s gesture did not “represent modus operandi of the association”.
“Uganda Medical Association has always engaged with the president through formal, professional ways including appreciating him through our annual awards,” the association added.
VIDEO: Uganda Medical Association (UMA) members led by their President Dr Samuel Odongo Oledo on Saturday knelt before President Museveni and asked him to stand again in 2026 as a presidential candidate #NTVNews pic.twitter.com/BkldMbKEwB
— NTV UGANDA (@ntvuganda) December 4, 2022
