A section of NRM MPs draft three more motions to fail age limit

PIC: Worker's MP Sam Lyomoki

AGE LIMIT | NEW MOTIONS

A section of members of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) have drafted three new motions aimed at making the proposal for the removal of the presidential age limit irrelevant.

The MPs include John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya), Patrick Nsamba (Kassanda North), Monica Amoding (Kumi woman), Gaffa Mbwatekamwa (Kasambya County), Sam Lyomoki (Workers) and Theodore SSekikubo (Lwemiyaga).

The three motions include The Museveni Succession, Transition and Immunities Bill.

The move, which is to be tabled by Lyomoki, is aimed at giving immunity to President Yoweri Museveni to retire peacefully, so that no one can prosecute him for the crimes he may have committed while in power.

"We know that President Museveni might be holding on for fear of being prosecuted. That is why we want to pass a law giving him immunity to help him safeguard his legacy, which the sycophants surrounding him want to destroy," Lyomoki said.

The second motion, which Lyomoki has drafted and submitted to the office of the speaker, is for making a private member's Bill titled, The Constitutional Amendment 2017, which is aimed at restoring the presidential term limits.

Lyomoki said since they are also NRM party members, they expect the Cabinet to meet and discuss their motions, as they did for the motion of Raphael Magyezi, which seeks to remove the presidential age limit.

The third motion which Lyomoki has planned to present to the office of the Speaker on Monday is on public servants, so that they can be allowed to stand for elective positions without having to resign their jobs as it is currently.

Anchored on the same arguments for the motion that seeks to remove the presidential age limit, the Bill also seeks to scrap the retirement age for public servants so that they can also stay in their offices until they die.

The interim chairperson of the group, Monica Amoding, dismissed claims that the NRM caucus MPs who supported Magyezi's motion were 287.

"That is a lie. We were part of that meeting. The MPs who turned up did not even reach 200. There are so many NRM MPs opposed to the removal of the age limit. You will see more and more coming out," Amoding stated.

John Baptist Nambeshe commended the Opposition for being united in the cause and said their efforts are complementary to the efforts of NRM members who oppose the move.

Commenting on Lyomoki's Bill for giving immunity to president Museveni, Nambeshe said: "It is a good Bill. Let us have a special soft landing for President Museveni, otherwise, there is no logical rationale for one who is in power for 35 years not to be preparing to retire. "

He condemned the military siege of Parliament, calling it a reminiscent of the worst regimes the African continent has had.

Patrick Nsamba, who, together with Nambeshe, authored a motion that seeks to compel the Executive to constitute a constitutional review commission, explained that in as much the efforts of the Opposition are good for the struggle, it is their motion that became the basis for failing the presentation of Magyezi's motion on Thursday.

"Our team is good at initiating practical strategies. It is because of our motion for a constitutional review commission that made it impossible for Magyezi's motion to be presented yesterday. We are bringing more Bills and strategies for failing that motion that seeks to remove the age limit. Since they claim it is not for benefiting Museveni, let them bring it in 2022 when Museveni is out of power," Nsamba explained.

Pointing out the unfulfilled promise of constituting the constitutional review commission, Theodore Ssekikubo castigated the Executive for playing politics of dishonesty and trickery.

"The Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa told Parliament in June that the minister for constitutional affairs had submitted 18 names out of which the president would choose 12 to constitute the constitutional review commission. Up to now, we have not seen it. That commission will accommodate all the motions we have, including the one of Magyezi," Ssekikubo said.

Gaffa Bwatekamwa appealed to the media not to project that struggle against the removal of the age limit as one between the NRM and the Opposition.

"You people you have to report correctly. All of us here are NRM MPs. And there are many other NRM MPs who are against the removal of the age limit. We also ask Ugandans to put pressure on their MPs to reject the proposal," Bwatekamwa said.

He appealed to President Museveni, the NRM caucus, and cabinet to embrace the Bill that gives immunity to President Museveni, so he can retire honourably.