Makerere students arrested over age limit
Road blocked by Makerere students at city oil in Wandegeya. PHOTO BY DERRICK WANDERA
Several Makerere university students were on Thursday arrested as police foiled their demonstration against lifting of the presidential age-limit.
The students had planned to march from their campus to Parliament to petition the Speaker not to allow the age limit discussion to take place.
As soon as they started marching, police and crime preventers swung into action and arrested five students led by one Simon Wanyera.
They are currently detained at Wandegeya Police Station. However, police are still engaged in running battles with the students.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen Kale Kayihura warned Ugandans against holding processions in favour or against the proposed removal of the presidential age limit.
He said police had received notifications by different groups of people intending to hold processions in the city, municipalities, and other parts of the country relating to the anticipated debate in parliament on the proposed scrapping of the president age limit from the constitution.
He said they have also received information indicating that some people are planning to use the demonstrations to cause violence and mayhem in the city including targeting parliament.
Security officers deployed at Makerere University. Photo by Michael Kakumirizi
"Police recognizes and has always facilitated the exercise, of the right to demonstrate peacefully and unarmed as provided in the constitution. However at the same time police has the obligation under the constitution to keep law and order, prevent crime, as well as protecting life and property" IGP Kayihura's statement reads.
He advises the masterminds of the processions to use other means such as television networks, radio station, print media and indoor meetings to express their positions on the matter. Gen Kayihura also warned the planners of the processions to be careful not to be used as a cover for violent criminal attacks and other criminal activities.
Recently, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) caucus endorsed a proposal to repeal article 102 (b) of the constitution, which restricts the presidential age limit to between 35 and 75 years of age. The move is allegedly aimed at paving way for President Museveni who will be above 75 years by the 2021 polls to offer himself for election.
