Age limit Bill is not intended for Museveni -Todwong tells MPs

AGE LIMIT | HOUSE COMMITTEE            

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has told Parliament that the Controversial Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 that seeks to lift the presidential age limit currently capped at 75 years, is not for President Yoweri Museveni.

Appearing before the legal and parliamentary affairs committee, which is scrutinising the Bill, deputy NRM secretary general Richard Todwong told the MPs yesterday that the party supports the Bill because the 75 years provision is discriminatory in nature to people aged above 75.

"This Bill is not for President Museveni, it is not intended for him. We are just against discrimination on age, sex and tribe," Todwong said.

Todwong was in the company of party members.

President Museveni is the chairman of the National Resistance Movement party (NRM).

Responding to Todwong's presentation, MPs who included Adeke Anna (Youth National), Abdul Katuntu FDC (Bugweri County) and Moinca Amonding NRM (Kumi district) tasked Todwong and his entourage to explain why they want the presidential age limit lifted.

According to the MPs, the Amendment, whose architect MP Raphael Magyezi is an NRM member, is aimed at paving way for President Museveni to stand for the presidency in 2021.

"You have ‘Musevenised' this amendment. The basis for this age limit is about the upper age you have moved away from what other countries in the region have," Katuntu said.

Currently aged 73, Museveni will not be eligible to seek a re-election in the next general election (2021), as he would have hit the presidential age limit.

The Constitution allows only Ugandans aged 35 and those not exceeding 75 years, to stand for the presidency of Uganda.