MP Magyezi Finally Tables Age Limit Motion

Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi has finally tabled his Age Limit motion seeking to delete article 102b of the constitution to allow three-decade president Yoweri Museveni stand for reelection beyond the age of 75 – and most likely rule for life.

This was after Speaker Rebecca Kadaga suspended 24 Opposition MPs for being chaotic during Tuesday’s planned tabling of the age limit motion, which was interrupted, forcing the adjournment of the house.

MPs Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and Allan Sewanyana were dragged out parliament security and arrested for refusing to leave the house after being suspended by the the speaker.

Before Magyezi tabled his motion, all the remaining opposition MPs walked out of the house.

Jinja West MP Moses Balyeku seconded Magyezi’s, noting that “Age should not be a factor that hinders the rights and freedom of any Ugandan”.

“It is improper to look at the elderly and discriminated them. We are all growing and getting older and it doesn’t mean we are getting irrelevant,” Balyeku said.

The Age Limit motion was approved by Parliament without any opposition and the speaker adjourned the house to 2:00PM on Thursday.

Speaking to journalists outside Parliament, the Leader of Opposition and Kasese District Woman MP Winnie Kizza Opposition MPs will not be “returning to parliament until all the members arrested are returned”.

Ugandans reject age limit removal — Poll

Magyezi’s motion remains unpopular among the population hungry for the first peaceful transition of power since independence.

The motion has also been greeted with protests across major towns.

University students have also joined the anti-age limit removal protests.

Magyezi and majority of ruling NRM party MPs seek to delete the upper age limit clause in article 102b that bars anyone from standing for president beyond the age of 75.

If not deleted, three-decade president Yoweri Museveni, born in 1944, will be ineligible for reelection when Uganda next goes to the polls in 2021.

Samuel Kamugisha