The debate about amending Article 102 of the Constitution which put a limit on the age of a President at 75 years has lately caused an uproar. On Monday, a group of youths from the Democratic Party warned the MPs against amending the Article.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga summoned the Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana to clarify on the claims that the Cabinet had already drafted and gazetted a Bill that sought to remove the Presidential age limits. Kadaga noted that MPs were living in fear after receiving some threatening messages from some members of the public. “Already members have been targeted, receiving threatening messages and I want to assure the country that I have not seen in the Bill, I have not seen the Bill, it’s not here so I don’t know where the debate is coming from? So I want to ask the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice to come and inform us.” Said the Speaker of the Parliament. The Deputy Attorney General informed the House that the only Constitutional amendment the Cabinet had so far approved was the compulsory land acquisition. “There’s no such a Constitutional amendment that has been sponsored either by the government, a private member or any other person in that regard.” Said the Deputy Attorney General.

But Opposition politicians were not convinced by Rukutana’s explanation, they believed that the ruling party was scheming to remove the age limit. Former FDC President Dr. Kizza Besigye told journalists at a news conference that the NRM party would use its state machinery to ensure that the amendments are passed. “Any process that is done whether people give views or don’t will end up providing what the one with power needs.” Said the Former FDC President. “All of us opposed to the lifting of term limits, we should hold hands together and fight this move without any dividing line between the parties.” Said, Norbert Mao, Democratic Party President.

Meanwhile, Civil Society and Opposition leaders wanted other Constitutional reforms to be considered as well. Particularly the one on the independence of the Electoral Commission and the reinstatement of the Presidential term limits. “I think this should be a critical time to find out from the Ugandans; do they want such a large Parliament or can we review the Constitution of the Parliament. We have special interest groups in the Parliament, some of which I think their time is over. We have the representation of the army for instance, is it still needed in today’s political context? Should it still be in the Parliament?” Said, Crispy Kaheru, National Coordinator, CCEDU. “The Electoral Commissioners should publicly be interviewed, their allegiance should be to the Constitution and the country and not to one person the President.” Said, Norbert Mao. Some of these reforms were however tabled before the Parliament towards the 2016 General Elections but were not considered by the government.