President Museveni has assented to the constitutional amendment bill 2 giving himself a lee way to contest for the same position in 2021.
According to head of communications and corporate affairs at Parliament, Chris Obore, the president “assented to the bill on the 27th-of December and it is now a constitutional amendment act”.
The bill was passed by parliament on the 20th of December amid opposition from a section of MPs, opposition political parties and civil society who ran a campaign dubbed “Togikwatako” literally meaning “don’t touch the constitution”.
The decision by the president who parades as a democratic leader elected by majority citizens contradicts findings in a report compiled by members of civil society indicating that 85% of Ugandans are against the lifting of term limits.
“85% of Ugandans believe that the constitution should not amended to remove age limits but findings also show that several representatives will vote against the position of the people they represent and support the lifting…this is absurd” Said Godber Tumushabe, the executive Director of the great Lakes institute of Strategic studies while releasing findings of the report before parliament convened for the session in which the bill was passed.
The first amendments to the constitution concerning the position of the president were implemented in 2005 when parliament lifted the term limit of five years giving way to president Museveni to contest again in 2006.
Asked why the amendment this times more opposition, the country director Action aid Uganda told Witnessradio.org that this was the last stroke and every Ugandan is worried.
“This is the last stroke on the camel’s back if I can say, in 2005 people were against the lifting of term limits but not as much as this because they had hope that there existed limits on age…now all will be lost”. He said.
The amendments passed on the 20th of December 2017 will also see the presidential term extended to Seven years from five and so is the parliamentary term.
The age for anyone vying for president will also be 18 years not 35 as it was before the amendment.
