Age limit: Rival MPs plot for tough week

Defiant. Left to right: Some of the MPs opposed to the age limit removal John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya), Gilbert Oulanya (Kilak), Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga), Paul Lutamaguzi (Nakaseke South) and Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju) walk to Parliament on Thursday. PHOTO BY ALEX ESGALA.

What you need to know:

  • New strategy. Sources say the pro-age limit removal camp now wants to “decentralise” the motion by having different sets of MPs coming out to openly voice support for the controversial motion.

Kampala. The high stakes game that the planned removal of the 75-year cap to the age of presidential candidates has become, has entered a crucial phase with those seeking to scrap the age limit now back to the drawing board ahead of a resumption of hostilities next week.
Round One of what is shaping up to be a drawn out battle was won by those opposed to the removal of the age limit after Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah on Thursday adjourned the House without allowing debate on a motion that seeks to start a process that could end with presidential age limits deleted.
After losing the battle to table the motion on Thursday, Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa instantly went into overdrive, holding marathon meetings to work out a plan on how she will pull off the now complex task of ensuring that Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi tables his motion next week.
Mr Magyezi filed a notice of motion to seek leave of parliament to table a private member’s bill seeking to delete the 75-year cap for presidential candidates.
On Thursday evening, still smarting from a gruelling sitting where MPs opposed to the scrapping of age limits heckled the government into submission, Ms Nankabirwa summoned a few trusted MPs to a meeting at the Fifth Floor of Parliament to plot the next course of action.
An MP familiar with the manoeuvring that transpired in the Magyezi camp explained that the Government Chief Whip now wants to “decentralise” the motion by having different sets of MPs coming out to openly voice support for the controversial motion.
An MP, who asked not to be named said according to the new plan designed by the Government Chief Whip, the burden of speaking for the removal of the age limit should not be carried by only the mover and three seconders. This, the MP said, will help reduce the focus on only those MPs.
For instance, on Friday morning, Ms Nankabirwa, reinforced by State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite (Koboko Municipality) and NRM Parliament Commissioner Peter Ogwang (Usuk County), two MPs central to ensuring that the Magyezi motion is tabled next week, met six NRM MPs.
Ms Nankabirwa then hurriedly called a press briefing and paraded the MPs Fred Angella (Moroto Municipality), Doreen Amule (Amolatar District), Christine Achen Ayo (Alebtong District), Julius Acon (Otuke County), Jacqueline Rama Aol (Nebbi District) and Hatwib Katoto (Katerera County).
Ms Nankabirwa said she was parading the MPs for “accountability” purposes. Apart from Ms Amule, the other five MPs have kept a low profile as the age-limit debate rages.
Before Mr Magyezi’s motion appears on the Order Paper next week, the plan is to have different sets of NRM MPs paraded before the media to publicly voice their support for the motion.
“The motion will not die in the corridors. There is no reason why it is being gagged. The motion will be disposed of in an appropriate manner,” Ms Nankabirwa said.

Plan B
The other plan that the pro-age limit removal group is toying with is to allow MPs with other motions related to the removal of the age limit and President Museveni’s retirement to first table them in Parliament, vote against them and ultimately pave the way for Mr Magyezi to table his anti-age limit motion.
The MPs against the removal of the 75-year age limit for standing for the presidency have formed two groups – the “anti-age limit removal defiance side” and the “anti-age limit removal strategy side”.
NRM MPs Patrick Nsamba (Kassanda North), Sam Lyomoki (Workers), Gaffa Mbwatekamwa (Kasambya), Monica Amoding (Kumi) and John Baptist Nambeshe (Manjiya), are the core of the anti-Age limit removal strategy side.
Their plan is to overwhelm the Speaker with several motions seeking leave of Parliament to prepare different constitution amendment bills.
On Friday, Mr Lyomoki filed a notice to seek leave of Parliament to prepare a private member’s Bill titled “The Museveni Succession, Transition and Immunities Bill 2017”, the first of what sources close to the plotters say will be many such notices. Mr Lyomoki also filed a draft of the Bill.
MP Lyomoki’s notice was followed by another notice of motion by MP Mbwatekamwa, who notified the Speaker in writing that he wants to move a motion seeking leave of Parliament to introduce a private member’s constitution amendment Bill seeking to remove all academic restrictions imposed in the Constitution for all elective offices.

Opposition plan

To do anything. On the defiance side, which is principally led by Opposition MPs, the game plan is to ensure that all stops are pulled, including going physical, to ensure that Mr Magyezi does not table his motion.
The plan, as was sampled out on Thursday when it was anticipated that the motion would be tabled before Parliament, is to heckle, whistle and if push comes to shove, as one member told Sunday Monitor, to even grab the mace – the symbol of authority of the Speaker, in abid to stop Mr Magyezi from proceeding with tabling his motion.
Under Commonwealth Parliamentary practice, if the mace is grabbed, the Speaker has to call off the sitting.
On Thursday, the Seargent-At-Arms had to be reinforced by two members of his staff to protect the mace from the clutches of MPs Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West) and Mubarak Munyagwa (Kawempe South).
“We know that the Opposition MPs are trying to attack us and so if you see us wearing trousers, you know that we are trying to avoid embarrassment,” Government Chief Whip Nankabirwa said.