I need time to plan for my exit - Museveni

Senior members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) over the weekend endorsed the Bill that seeks to scrap the presidential age limit from the Constitution.

A statement issued on Saturday by the NRM's communications officer Rogers Mulindwa said NEC resolved to remove the presidential age limit by quashing Article 102(b) of the Constitution which caps the upper age for a prospective president at 75 years.

Mulindwa said this was after the members had received and deeply appreciated a keynote address delivered by President Yoweri Museveni — and being mindful of Uganda's political history.

"They resolved to enthusiastically join the majority of their colleague members of NEC who are NRM MPs in unanimously and overwhelmingly supporting the Bill," Mulindwa said.

He also said NEC resolved to vigorously share their decision with all the structures and members of their party as well as the people of Uganda.

"They also resolved to call upon the people of Uganda to discuss these matters with mutual respect and tolerance, and in a peaceful and lawful manner," Mulindwa said.

He said the resolutions were taken after members considered the historical, extraordinary and numerous achievements of NRM.

The meeting that was convened by Museveni at State House Entebbe on Friday started at 6:00pm and went on up to midnight.

This meeting comes two days after the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) supported the Bill and agreed to popularise it to all the structures of the NRM.

Money question
Sources within NEC, however, told Sunday Vision that members asked the President, who is also national NRM chairman, to explain why it was only MPs who were given money (sh29m each) to facilitate consultations with constituents on the Bill.


"Money became a problem during the meeting. Members asked why the President was so focused on NRM MPs, yet they get lots of benefits like free cars and allowances, yet people like them at the grassroots who help in mobilisation are not facilitated," said the source.

However, the Government chief whip, Ruth Nankabirwa, put up a spirited defence of the parliamentary commission's decision to give MPs money for consultations.

Sources said she told the meeting that MPs are "key people" in the campaign to lift the age limit because they are the ones who pass the Bill.

"She, however, apologised for leaving out NEC members when the decision to amend the age limit was being processed.

Museveni defends Bill
The sources said the President did not respond to the money question, but defended the Bill, saying he needed time to plan for his exit.

"I am a freedom fighter who has fought many wars; I cannot leave things like that. I have to plan," the source quoted Museveni as saying.

Museveni reportedly said he wants Uganda to set a positive example for the rest of the world. He said age should not be an issue that bothers Ugandans.

"It is not about the age, it is the service you render to people," Museveni was quoted as saying.

According to the sources, Museveni used the meeting to explain to the leaders the origin of the issue of lifting the presidential age limit, saying it was first brought up by Kyakwanzi district Woman MP Ann Nankabirwa during one of the party's retreats at Kyankwanzi.

"I said it was not the right time, but when Magyezi brought it up again, Nankabirwa (chief whip) sold it to the Cabinet and they bought it. That is how I also came to support it," Museveni is quoted by the source as saying.

Museveni explained that he did not support the issue of age limit when it was first brought up, saying it was not a priority then.

Facilitation cash
However, on the issue of giving NEC members money to facilitate their consultations, sources said the party would have to get it.

"These people need to hold district conferences and other meetings to popularise the Bill, but they cannot do all this without money," said a NEC member. There are over 700 NEC members.

The NEC member added: "But at the end of the day, members decided to back the Bill and agreed to popularize it."

MPs were not invited for the meeting because they had already discussed the issue in the NRM caucus.

People are hostile 
Sources said Abdallah Kitata, the patron of Bodaboda 2010 and Rubaga division NRM chairperson, said the Bill about age limit that was tabled by Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi got a hostile reception from the people.

"In fact he said that ‘the soil was not fertile' enough for the Bill. Kitata said the community is hostile to the Bill, that there was need to do thorough consultations on it," the source said.

About CEC, NEC
CEC is the supreme organ of NRM in terms of originating ideas for NEC, but in terms of cementing the position of the party it is the national conference. NEC, which is the working committee of national conference, discusses the issues before they go to the national conference.

Sources within the party said Museveni will summon the national conference after the NEC meeting if the decision to support the Bill is to be a party decision. Magyezi's Bill has, however, been strongly opposed by the Opposition and civil society organisations, arguing that

NRM want to amend the provision, thereby enable Museveni to run in 2021. Museveni, who turned 73 last month, will be only four months shy of 77 by the time his current term expires in May 2021.