UMA President
The decision to keep the doctors strike up seems to have taken a special twist after the medical officials shun President’s threats.
Speaking to the Insider, doctors under their umbrella insist that president’s threats will not force them to resume because they knew that such threats would happen soon.
Doctors insist that government should not waste time throwing bitter words but should only embark on having the issue on table settled once and for good. ‘We are not children to be moved by sentiments and bullying’.
These statements follow the president’s comment made while speaking in Burahya County in Kabarole District threatened to sack all the striking doctors and replace them with those desperate for jobs.
The medics also announced the formation of a legal committee to help their colleagues being forced out of hospital quarters as they move to stop what they call attempts by RDCS to intimidate doctors on strike
Dr. Obuku the association president noted that even during Amin’s regime, such threats were issues and there was an exodus.
“These threats don’t work. The president said he is going to make doctors regret but doctors have been regretting for not holding this strike earlier. Regretting is not new.”
Museveni’s remarks come against the heels of a flopped mediation between medical doctors under their umbrella Uganda Medical Association (UMA) and a select committee of ministers tasked to look into their demands yesterday.
A total of 6 ministers who are part of the cabinet taskforce meant to dialogue over the medical workers’ concerns including; Dr.Ruth Aceng (Ministry of Health),David Bahati (Finance),John Chrysestom Muyingo(Education), David Karubanga(Public service),William Byaruhanga(Attorney General) and Mwesigwa Rukutana(Deputy Attorney General) yesterday made a deadlock when doctors insisted they will not return to work despite their pleas.
