President Yoweri Museveni serving his last five-year term as per the current Constitution. But this seems to be a move especially among legislators of the ruling NRM party to amend Article 102 (b) of the Constitution which cap see age limit for someone to run for the Presidency at the age of 75 years. Now aged 73, President Yoweri Museveni will be 77 years by the next election in 2021. And amendment to the Constitutional Clause would mean President Yoweri Museveni who shot his way to power in 1986 will probably rule Uganda for life. Former three-time Mbarara Municipality Member of Parliament Winnie Byanyimanow serving as the Executive Director of Oxfam International said this would be dangerous for Uganda. “We should have a stable democracy, a Constitutional democracy where we set the rules and we let the rules work. We removed the term limits before the term limits worked. At the first instant of the term limits work, we lifted it. Now at the first instance for the age limit to work, how can we lift it? How can you be taken seriously? It is bad for our country, it is bad for our economy because it creates uncertainty in the future of the country.” Said, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director Oxfam International.

President Yoweri Museveni has not publicly spoken out about the latest move. Byanyima urged him to clearly pronounce himself to avoid speculation. “The people who are proposing the lifting of the age limits are supporters of his political party and members of his political party so he can’t convene his party, he can’t show them that he has no interest of, he can tell the country that he sees that it is time for him to retire and he has an option to retire and earn the respect that he deserves.” Said, Winnie Byanyima. But in an exclusive interview with NTV in 2012, the President said that he would not want to stay in power beyond 75 years. “I know there have been some leaders who have been leading even beyond 75 but I think if you want very active leaders, you should have those ones below 75. So are you saying that you wouldn’t go beyond 75 yourself sir? Not all, certainly not.” Responded, President Yoweri Museveni. At the recent burial of former DP President John SsebaanaKizito, Justice and Constitutional Affairs’ Minister KahindaOttafire said whereas there is no proposal to amend the Presidential age limit in the proposed Constitutional amendments, such a move was provided for in the Constitution.

“You can never write a Constitution and put there a provision that it must never change, it doesn’t work like that if the Constitution can change but you don’t change for the sake of changing because you can change. You change a Constitution, a provision out of, consideration by the entire population.” Said, Winnie Byanyima. In a recent interview with NTV, the Deputy Attorney General MwesigwaRukutana said the Cabinet would go with what the majority Ugandans wanted. “I’m not saying it will not come if Ugandans wish if we as the government wish, we shall bring it but it is not among the Constitutional amendment Bill that we are gazetting.” Said, the Deputy Attorney General. “It is very unfortunate for our country that we can change the Constitution to remove the age limit so that an individual whether President Museveni or another can be able to contest again.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

There have been many calls to President Museveni to respect the Constitution as it is now up to the MPs not to amend the Presidential age limit Clause. In an interview with the Al Jazeera Global News Network in late April, President Museveni said he would respect the Constitution. But in the 2005 amendment of the Constitution to remove the Presidential term limits is anything to go by. “Let religious people speak, let the youths speak, let everybody speak against it, let us target the Parliamentarians, if they are going to take 3,000 dollars like last time to change our Constitution, let us target them. Let us make it so hard for them to even have a bottle of soda in a restaurant.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

On the speculation whether she would offer herself for the highest office in the land, Byanyima said that she was capable and had the relevant experience to be a President and did not rule out the possibility as she will be concluding her five-year term with Oxfam International as Chief Executive. “The Oxfam has been an excellent platform for me to fight for justice around the world, I love it. It’s the great job I have had but as I said, I will do it for about a couple of more years and after that I will find another platform for fighting for justice maybe it will be here in Kasangati. This is my home because even if I was here I would find a job here to fight for justice in this community, that’s who I am.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

Byanyima who has been a longtime crusader for equality and the rights of deprived people also spoke out about the rampant land grabbing by the rich against the poor. She appealed to the government not amend the Land Acquisition Act that seeks to allow the government to compound the duly acquired private land for public works. “I personally don’t see a need for that provision, I see dangering it, I see again poor people becoming less secure on their land and this has implications for their human rights, food needs as a country...” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

President Yoweri Museveni serving his last five-year term as per the current Constitution. But this seems to be a move especially among legislators of the ruling NRM party to amend Article 102 (b) of the Constitution which cap see age limit for someone to run for the Presidency at the age of 75 years. Now aged 73, President Yoweri Museveni will be 77 years by the next election in 2021. And amendment to the Constitutional Clause would mean President Yoweri Museveni who shot his way to power in 1986 will probably rule Uganda for life. Former three-time Mbarara Municipality Member of Parliament Winnie Byanyimanow serving as the Executive Director of Oxfam International said this would be dangerous for Uganda. “We should have a stable democracy, a Constitutional democracy where we set the rules and we let the rules work. We removed the term limits before the term limits worked. At the first instant of the term limits work, we lifted it. Now at the first instance for the age limit to work, how can we lift it? How can you be taken seriously? It is bad for our country, it is bad for our economy because it creates uncertainty in the future of the country.” Said, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director Oxfam International.

President Yoweri Museveni has not publicly spoken out about the latest move. Byanyima urged him to clearly pronounce himself to avoid speculation. “The people who are proposing the lifting of the age limits are supporters of his political party and members of his political party so he can’t convene his party, he can’t show them that he has no interest of, he can tell the country that he sees that it is time for him to retire and he has an option to retire and earn the respect that he deserves.” Said, Winnie Byanyima. But in an exclusive interview with NTV in 2012, the President said that he would not want to stay in power beyond 75 years. “I know there have been some leaders who have been leading even beyond 75 but I think if you want very active leaders, you should have those ones below 75. So are you saying that you wouldn’t go beyond 75 yourself sir? Not all, certainly not.” Responded, President Yoweri Museveni. At the recent burial of former DP President John SsebaanaKizito, Justice and Constitutional Affairs’ Minister KahindaOttafire said whereas there is no proposal to amend the Presidential age limit in the proposed Constitutional amendments, such a move was provided for in the Constitution.

“You can never write a Constitution and put there a provision that it must never change, it doesn’t work like that if the Constitution can change but you don’t change for the sake of changing because you can change. You change a Constitution, a provision out of, consideration by the entire population.” Said, Winnie Byanyima. In a recent interview with NTV, the Deputy Attorney General MwesigwaRukutana said the Cabinet would go with what the majority Ugandans wanted. “I’m not saying it will not come if Ugandans wish if we as the government wish, we shall bring it but it is not among the Constitutional amendment Bill that we are gazetting.” Said, the Deputy Attorney General. “It is very unfortunate for our country that we can change the Constitution to remove the age limit so that an individual whether President Museveni or another can be able to contest again.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

There have been many calls to President Museveni to respect the Constitution as it is now up to the MPs not to amend the Presidential age limit Clause. In an interview with the Al Jazeera Global News Network in late April, President Museveni said he would respect the Constitution. But in the 2005 amendment of the Constitution to remove the Presidential term limits is anything to go by. “Let religious people speak, let the youths speak, let everybody speak against it, let us target the Parliamentarians, if they are going to take 3,000 dollars like last time to change our Constitution, let us target them. Let us make it so hard for them to even have a bottle of soda in a restaurant.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

On the speculation whether she would offer herself for the highest office in the land, Byanyima  said that she was capable and had the relevant experience to be a President and did not rule out the possibility as she will be concluding her five-year term with Oxfam International as Chief Executive. “The Oxfam has been an excellent platform for me to fight for justice around the world, I love it. It’s the great job I have had but as I said, I will do it for about a couple of more years and after that I will find another platform for fighting for justice maybe it will be here in Kasangati. This is my home because even if I was here I would find a job here to fight for justice in this community, that’s who I am.” Said, Winnie Byanyima.

Byanyima who has been a longtime crusader for equality and the rights of deprived people also spoke out about the rampant land grabbing by the rich against the poor. She appealed to the government not amend the Land Acquisition Act that seeks to allow the government to compound the duly acquired private land for public works. “I personally don’t see a need for that provision, I see dangering it, I see again poor people becoming less secure on their land and this has implications for their human rights, food needs as a country…” Said, Winnie Byanyima.