Museveni warns on age limit violence
A woman guides children from a business premise in Kasubi, Kampala on Tuesday after police fired live bullets and teargas to disperse a consultative rally on the proposed deletion of Article 102 (b) from the Constitution.
KAMPALA- President Museveni has warned that he will not tolerate any violence in regard to the ongoing age limit debate and that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party cannot be threatened.
Speaking on Monday at Kisiki College in Namutumba District, Busoga sub-region, during the thanksgiving ceremony for the District Woman MP, Ms Mariam Naigaga, the President said NRM is “a master at violence”, except its violence is “disciplined and purposeful”.
“NRM fought for freedom in the country and freedom means giving one a chance to express his or her opinion without one threatening him or her. Where is the Opposition getting the mandate to stop NRM members from speaking their mind on age limit?” he asked.
A State House statement issued yesterday quoted the President to have said: “The amendment of Article 102(b) of the Constitution about age limit should be discussed calmly, politely without abusing anybody. Bring your reasons without intimidation so that we can get a correct solution. I want to warn those who intimidate others and think that they can threaten NRM, which ushered in peace, that their illusion is not possible. Our mission is purposeful and peaceful.”
Warns on intimidation
The President warned those opposed to age limit removal that they should stop their “illusionary attitude” of intimidating people.
“Stop it,” he said. “We fought for freedom for this country and it must be protected,” the President was quoted to have said.
His warning comes just days after he openly told NRM Caucus last Friday that he was behind the proposal to remove 75-year as the upper age cap for a prospective President.
He said the current legal regime was discriminatory against Ugandans below 30 and 35 years that want to stand for offices of district chairpersons and president respectively.
Igara West lawmaker Raphael Magyezi tabled the Constitution amendment Bill on September 27 after two days of fist-fighting by MPs.
MPs subscribing to NRM have randomly been accosted by their constituents during consultations to popularise the scheme to remove both the lower and upper age limit for a President and district chairpersons.
The spate of attacks has prompted some of the affected legislators to sign up guns for personal safety or seek police escorts.
In Namutumba, Mr Museveni urged the wrangling MPs and district leaders to work together and pledged tractors.
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