Pro-Museveni youth want age limit lifted

Kampala. A group of pro-Museveni youth has filed a petition in the Constitutional Court seeking a declaration against the age limit as enshrined in the 1995 Constitution.
The March 19 petition filed against the Attorney General is seen as a counter to the one filed by Mr Benjamin Alipanga, a supporter of former prime minister Amama Mbabazi.
Mr Alipanga argues that President Museveni will not be qualified to serve a full five-year presidential term from 2016 because he will be past the constitutional age limit.

However, pro-Museveni youth argue that their move is to stop an anomaly which has seen their preferred candidate and many other Ugandans victims of several constitutional provisions.
“President Museveni, like the youth, is a victim of irregular constitutional provisions. So Mr Alipanga’s petition is a perfect coincidence to ours,” Mr Samuel Kavuma, the National Youth Council chairman and lead petitioner, said on Monday.
Mr Kavuma said capping the age at which one can contest for a particular post like the president (35 years) or when they can stop (75 years) contravenes other clauses which talk about the rights of citizens.

Asked whether they represent the National Youth Council, the trio said they prefer to be called Pro-Museveni youth.
Dr Ronald Naluwairo, a senior lecturer at the School of Law, Makerere University, believes the status quo should be maintained. “I think it is proven that leaders that are so young are likely to mess up so many things, we can’t afford to have someone who is 20 years as president. I think there is credible evidence that a leader who is too old will not perform best,” Dr Naluwairo said.
Meanwhile, Prof Frederick Ssempebwa, who chaired the commission that reviewed the 1995 Constitution, said the issue of age limit depends on the country’s wishes.

“I don’t think court can interfere with age in the Constitution because it is not a constitutional matter. The rights of the youth are not absolute and if one argues like that then there will be no qualifications for anything.”
He adds: “If anyone wants Mr Museveni to go on ruling, they should go to Parliament because it will pass anything he wants.”
The NRM deputy Secretary General, Mr Richard Todwong, said the age limit debate is unnecessary.
“It should be left to the framers of Constitution though. Museveni is not desperate to remain President. It is Ugandans who encourage and continue voting him,” he said.
In 2005, the seventh Parliament voted to erase from the Constitution article 105(2) which had provided for two five-year term limits for the President.

OPPOSITION SAYS
Leader of Opposition in Parliament Wafula Oguttu said the age limit was put in Constitution on a wrong premise. “The age limit was put in the Constitution to stop (former president Milton) Obote from coming to power again. Parliament lifted term limits in favour of President Museveni and now that Obote is dead and it is Museveni’s time, then it should be lifted... You don’t amend the Constitution in favour of one person,” he said.