Doctors propose mental health tests for presidential candidates

The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has proposed that presidential candidates undergo mental health and physical fitness tests. FILE PHOTO

What you need to know:

  • The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, which last week concluded writing a report on the Constitution Amendment Bill, No. 2 of 2017, is due to table its report in the House.
    It is not clear when.
  • Lifting the cap will make President Museveni, who will be 76 in 2016, and thus, ineligible to contest again, should Parliament not amend the Article.

Kampala. The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has proposed that presidential candidates undergo mental health and physical fitness tests.

This will give the electorate an idea of how the prospects are emotionally, how well they can reason and recall and perform daily tasks.

“All candidates intending to lead Uganda as President should undergo a full battery of medical examinations and tests, as appropriate, including, but not limited to mental health and physical health,” UMA President Ekwaro Obuku said on Thursday, December 14 at Parliament.

“Our recommendation is simple. How Parliament interprets it, and makes decisions, sometimes, is more political than science.”

UMA’s recommendation comes on the heels of a request by the House Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs to establish if a 75–year –old is fit to lead Uganda.

In carrying out the assignment, UMA looked at the impact of aging on the speed at which one process information and their attentiveness.

It assessed the capacity of processing information, memory recall and executive function used to regulate one’s behavior and modify responses based on the environment.

Additionally, it assessed the impact of aging on one’s reasoning ability, language function, intelligence and wisdom.

Medical tests for presidential candidates is one thing.

Revealing their health statuses to the public – given the patient-doctor confidentiality principle is another.

UMA said the issue of whether a 75–year–old can lead Uganda is a political one.

Thus, it can be subjected to universal adult suffrage.

“[The] representatives of Ugandans, that is Parliament, can make that decision on behalf of Ugandans. Ours was a scientific question,” Dr Obuku said.

The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, which last week concluded writing a report on the Constitution Amendment Bill, No. 2 of 2017, is due to table its report in the House.
It is not clear when.

Though many Ugandans and the media are waiting anxiously for the tabling of the Bill, as of Thursday, December 14, it remained one of the issues to follow in subsequent sittings.

What is clear though is that the committee is proposing an amendment of Article 102 (b) of the Constitution to lift the upper age cap for presidential candidates.

Lifting the cap will make President Museveni, who will be 76 in 2016, and thus, ineligible to contest again, should Parliament not amend the Article.

In the past, Mr Museveni said he would not want to be president once he clocks 75. He reasoned then that the position needs somebody energetic.

However, just last week he said being President should not be equated to playing rugby or competing in the Olympics, which require vim.

And with that, he removed any shred of doubt about being ready to serve again at the helm – given that he has not settled on any understudy.