Age limit: Opposition planning to burn electricity poles in Kampala - Kayihura
IGP Kale Kayihura
What you need to know:
- According to a poll conducted by the Daily Monitor in November, support for lifting the age limit is just at 53 per cent.
Up to 18 per cent of the MPs are undecided. - President Museveni, who critics say will be the beneficiary, about two months back said the upper cap was discriminatory, and thus, contravenes the Constitution.
The Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, says they have received intelligence reports by those against lifting of the age limit that there is a sinister plot to cause a power blackout by burning electricity poles.
Gen Kayihura made the comments while commissioning a police post in Kulambiro in Nakawa division.
“Police are fully in support of the procedures in parliament,” he said.
Parliament’s Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs is today expected to table its report on repealing the upper age limit for presidential candidates.
This is a break from the norm; usually, the House receives such reports on Tuesdays through Thursdays with the other days spared for the MPs’ consultations with their constituencies.
Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, says the committee gave her a copy of the report last Wednesday.
“I am giving notice that we shall convene on Monday (December 18) at nine o’clock in the morning so that we can have sufficient time for debate,” Ms Kadaga said on Thursday (December 14) during her communication from the chair.
The report, no doubt, is of interest to Ugandans – because it will inform the House’s decision on the bill.
The bill seeks to repeal Article 102 (b) of the Constitution to remove the 75 years old upper cap for presidential candidates.
President Museveni, who critics say will be the beneficiary, about two months back said the upper cap was discriminatory, and thus, contravenes the Constitution.
It is likely to be a full house today, because the Government, which has an interest in Igara West Member of Parliament, Raphael Magyezi’s Private Member’s Bill to amend the Constitution, will whip its members to attend.
According to a poll conducted by the Daily Monitor in November, support for lifting the age limit is just at 53 per cent.
Up to 18 per cent of the MPs are undecided.
In a contest where money is likely to be an influencer, the opposition is likely to lose the undecided to the ruling National Resistance Movement.
