David Nahamya Appointed Acting Secretary for National Drug Authority

National Drug Authority (NDA) has appointed a new Secretary in acting capacity, to replace Donna Kusemererwa who was last week ordered to vacate her office by the Court of Appeal in Kampala.

In a press statement released this week, Dr Medard Bitekyerezo, the Chairperson of NDA announced that David Nahamya who has been Director of Inspectorate and Enforcement has been appointed the Acting Secretary of the Authority.

“National Drug Authority would like to inform the public that at its extraordinary meeting of 6th Authority sitting on the 19th February 2019, appointed Mr David Nahamya, Director of Inspectorate and Enforcement as the Acting Secretary to the Authority,” the press statement read in part.

“This was after the court of Appeal dismissed an application in which Mrs Donna Asiimmwe Kusemererwa had appealed the orders of the High Court amongst which, an injunction was issued restraining her from acting in the position of the Secretary to the Authority”.

Dr Bitekyerezo has assured the public that NDA has through its mechanisms as provide by law, been able to fill the management gap and operations are running normally.

“NDA remains committed to the fulfilment of its statutory mandate of ensuring the availability of safe, efficacious and good quality drugs at all times to the population,” the statement adds.

On Thursday last week, court ruled against Kusemererwa in an appeal she had filed following a civil suit by Florence Nakachwa, the former Head of Drug Assessment and Registration at NDA in which she challenged Kusemerewa’s appointment.

In her application, Nakacwa argued that Kusemererwa’s appointment was inconsistent with Section 54(2) of the NDA Act, thus illegally occupying the office.