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Age limit: Besigye speaks out on constitution amendment
Dr Kizza Besigye addressing journalists recently
Former presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye has condemned the manner in which Parliament passed the Constitution Amendment (No.2) Bill 2017 intended to lift the presidential age limit after three days of heated debate.
Dr Besigye has described the Wednesday House proceedings as disgraceful an attack against the constitution.
"The MPs are simply tools for Mr Museveni to overthrow the constitution. But those MPs disgracefully, without any pain extended their life (in Parliament). Consultations of [the ruling] NRM were secret consultations while those of Opposition which were done in the open were attacked," Dr Besigye made the remarks while addressing journalists in Kampala.
He said the state was unfair to Opposition MPs during age limit consultations with police disrupting their activities.
“In Rukungiri District you saw a young man, Edson Kakuru gunned down over age limit consultations. And many others have been maimed in all these violence meted against those who try to protect the constitution,” Dr Besigye added.
According to Dr Besigye, 2017 has been a tough year for Ugandans.
“Many terrible things happened but the most concerning thing is the attack of the constitution. We have a new and strange situation in our country this year... the most concerning is the attack on the constitution of the people of Uganda. That attack started with trying to take away land rights and later attack on provisions of transition and peaceful transition of power," he said.
“We call it an attack, an overthrow of the constitution because of the way it has been done. This one touches the core of our country. It's the spinal cord of the politics of Uganda. Uganda has never had a peaceful transition of power and this is a matter that doesn't only bedevil our country but it's a challenge to many African countries"
"As we talk, our neighbours in DRC have a president whose term expired long term ago. Kabila is serving a term without any mandate and it has caused a lot of trouble"
Dr Besigye added that there was a blatant violation of rules of Parliament on Wednesday led by the custodian of those rules, “Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. She was the lead attacker, violator of those rules. [MP Raphael] Magyezi's [age limit] motion came on floor of parliament in violation of rules. Rules were violated from the beginning up to the end."
"Very disgraceful that Ugandans can be abused to that extent by MPs extending their stay in the House to seven years. This cannot be interpreted in any way or manner except that this was a very violent way of overthrowing the constitution"
"We are united here to condemn in the strongest term possible of what has happened; the disgraceful MPs whose names shall forever remain on the board of shame of our country"
"What we are united here today is simply to invite the people of Uganda to do their duty. Ugandans are still stuck in asking what are you doing Lord Mayor. How come we don't hear you. What next! Yes we have a duty, like all Ugandans. We are here to implore Ugandans take up their duty................So that we can have a peaceful transfer of power so that we defeat the life presidency of Mr Museveni"
"We invite the courts to also do their duty whenever they receive petitions. We invite the public to take their duty seriously. We shall continue to provide our leadership because it's necessary in the struggle to restore constitutionalism.
We invite those who don't want to see the path our country is taking to prepare for the necessary action starting from January 9"
Besigye further noted that Uganda’s constitution is now worthless given the fact that MPs voted to have it amended and the age limit cap lifted.
“Even before this started, land was the main issue. Ugandans don't take Mr Museveni seriously. He said Museveni Pakalast and they thought he was joking. Now he has shown that he's here Pakalast. We now have a duty as Ugandans to take back our country and restore constitutionalism”
In his remarks, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says: "The provision of article 3. It's very instructive in the prevailing circumstances.
The most important provision now in addressing the circumstance is Article three of the constitution...."
However, Police have vowed to deal with Opposition this festive season.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Frank Mwesigwa called upon Ugandan and the Opposition to refrain from violence.
“I heard Dr Besigye calling upon Ugandans to take action. As police, we will be there to deal with them,” he said.
