DP launches Red Ribbon Week campaign
Democratic Party president Norbert Mao (centre) is arrested after he and 11 other party members tried to march to Parliament to attend the Parliamentary seating yesterday. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
We have launched the “Red Ribbon Week” to coincide with the return of MPs from recess to consider the report of the legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee, let us wear red,”
Norbert Mao, DP president
Kampala. The Democratic Party has launched a new anti-age limit Bill campaign dubbed the “Red Ribbon Week”.
Addressing journalists at their party headquarters in Kampala yesterday, DP president Norbert Mao said the campaign was inspired by the tide of cynicism among the greater population towards the proposed move to amend the Constitution to remove age limit for presidential candidates.
He said the campaign is a simple but powerful way of saying “no to the treacherous and treasonable plot” by Parliament to usurp the sovereignty of the people.
“This Red Ribbon Week is not an event which will expire when the final vote is taken by MPs. This is a process whose biggest achievement is that it has broken the political molds in which we have hitherto been confined and unleashed anew unity of purpose,” Mr Mao said.
He added that the vote in Parliament vote “will only be a new milestone for a new momentum to ensure that those who have betrayed the will of the people pay a political price of their treachery.”
President Museveni, who once said he would retire at 75 arguing that at that age, one lacks the vigour needed for the job, has since said he supports the lifting of the age limit. He now argues that it is discriminatory, which is unconstitutional.
After the launch of “Red Ribbon Week” Mr Mao and 11 other party member were arrested by police as they tried to walk to Parliament in protest and taken to CPS.
The acting Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said police had preferred charges of unlawful assembly against the suspects.
