How age limit vote affected MPs performance in polls

L-R: Abasi Agaba supported age limit and lost Kitagwenda MP flag, Kasirivu Atwooki supported age limit and lost Bugangaizi West flag and Hellen Kahunde rejected age limit Bill and retained Woman MP flag

BY MONITOR TEAM


The primary elections of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) have produced mixed results for the incumbent legislators over the positions they took regarding the lifting of the presidential age limit from the Constitution in 2018.

Parliament on December 20, 2017 voted by majority of 317 MPs against 97 to change the Constitution and remove the 75-year age limit on the presidency and to extend the term of MPs from five to seven years.

When the party took to the polls last Friday to elect party flag bearers for Members of Parliament (MPs), it was anticipated it would be a sail through for all those incumbents who stood out in favour of public interest by defending the removal of the age limit in 2017.

However, the results produced mixed fortunes among those who supported and opposed the age limit Bill.
For the case of Teso Sub-region, the NRM primaries looked much of an indictment against legislators who have always stood the test of the party and sided with the interest of the public.

For instance in the newly created Kalaki District, Ms Maria Gorretti Ajilo, who voted against the removal of the age limit for which she was applauded by the public, was defeated by Ms Jennifer Ayoo in the race for the Woman MP flag. Ms Ajilo garnered 10,526 votes while Ms Ayoo got 13,080 votes.

Ms Ajilo is the incumbent Kaberamaido Woman MP but opted to contest in the new Kalaki District. However, she told Daily Monitor that the ground was not levelled.

She claimed that the entire electoral system was rigged against her, accusing the security agencies in Kalaki of being biased.

“I don’t honour the outcome. I’m petitioning the outcome, because we have scenarios in Otuboi Sub-county where kids as young as 10 years were forced to vote,” Ms Ajilo said.

A similar outcome was evidenced in the race for the Kumi District Woman MP NRM flag after Ms Monica Amoding, another outspoken legislator, was defeated by Ms Christine Apolot.

Ms Apolot, who is the Kumi District chairperson, supported the removal of presidential age limit from the Constitution.

She got 38,215 votes while Ms Amoding could only manage 18,795. Since 2017, the two women have not been on talking terms over their contrasting positions on the age limit Bill.

Ms Susan Amero, the Amuria Woman MP who voted against the removal of age limit, was also defeated by Ms Rodha Achen, a State House attaché.

Ms Teddy Acam, an NRM mobiliser for Teso Sub-region, said the decisions taken by the voters were in tandem with the party’s collective thinking.

In Tooro Sub-region, Kabarole Woman MP Sylvia Rwabwogo, who voted against the lifting of presidential age limit, also lost the NRM flag. She was seeking to carry the party flag for the Woman MP seat in Fort Portal City.

Fort Portal Municipality MP Alex Ruhunda, who also voted against the lifting of age limit in 2018, sneaked through the gallows of defeat in Fort Portal City Central Division.

In Bundibugyo District, the fate of Bwamba County MP Gafabusa Richard Muhumuza, who voted against the lifting of age limit, will be determined by the NRM party leadership later this week after the results were withheld over violence.
The MP for Kibale County in Kamwenge District, Mr Cuthbert Abigaba Mirembe, who also voted for the lifting of the presidential age limit, lost the party flag to newcomer Prosper Musiime.

In Kibaale District, Bugangaizi West MP Kasirivu Atwooki voted for the lifting of the age limit and lost the NRM flag to newcomer Fred Byamukama.

In Buliisa District, Buliisa County MP Stephen Mukitale, who abstained from the age limit vote in 2017, retained the NRM flag last Friday, just like his Bugahya counterpart Pius Wakabi.

In Kiryandongo, the Woman MP, Ms Hellen Kahunde, who voted against the age limit Bill, retained the party flag in next year’s elections.

In Masindi, the municipality MP, Mr Earnest Kiiza, voted for the lifting of the presidential age limit from the Constitution but last Friday retained the party flag.

Bujenje MP Patrick Kasumba, who supported the age limit Bill, lost the party flag. Kigorobya County MP David Karubanga voted for the lifting of the age limit but managed to retain the flag.

Mwenge South MP Aston Kajara and his Kyenjojo female counterpart Spellaza Baguma supported the age limit Bill and lost the NRM flags in the 2021 elections.

Kyegegwa Woman MP Kiiza Stella, who also voted for the lifting of the presidential age limit from the Constitution, lost his flag to Ms Flavia Kabahenda Rwabuhoro.

Kitagwenda County MP Abasi Agaba voted for the lifting of the presidential age limit from the Constitution and last Friday lost his flag to former legislator Nulu Byamukama.

In Kisoro District, three incumbent MPs that voted for the lifting of presidential age limit lost the NRM primary elections in their respective constituencies.

They are Mr Sam Bitangaro (Bufumbira South), Ms Rose Kabagyeni (District Woman) and Mr Sam Byibesho (Kisoro Municipality). The winners are Mr James Nsaba Buturo (Bufumbira East) and Mr John Kamara (Bufumbira North).
The district NRM party vice chairperson, Mr Ramathan Ndikuyeze, however, dismissed the assertion that the MPs lost due to voting for the lifting of the age limit.

“The NRM party and President Museveni enjoy huge support in Kisoro District. The legislators lost the NRM party primary election as a result of their individual performance, which the voters questioned and denied them votes,” Mr Ndikuyeze said.

“For example, some Members of Parliament advocated for the increase of their salaries and privileges and forgot the salaries of lower local council leaders yet they play a big role in service delivery. It’s not true that they lost the party primary elections because they voted for the lifting of the presidential age limit in the constitution,” he added.

The Rukiga District NRM party administrator, Mr Asiimwe Rwamwehare, alleged the incumbent Member of Parliament for Rukiga County, Mr Herbert Kabafunzaki, lost the party primary elections partly because of the saga in which he was prosecuted for allegedly soliciting for a bribe from an investor, unfulfilled pledges and the lifting of the presidential age limit.

“During the 2016 campaigns, he pledged to establish a sausage processing factory in Kamwezi Sub-county and a sports academy in Kashambya Sub-county but we have not seen them. I feel that these are some of the reasons he was denied votes,” Mr Rwamwehare said.

The chairperson for Ryakarimira Town Council in Kabale District, Mr Enock Kazooba, said the Member of Parliament for Ndorwa West, Mr David Bahati, won the NRM primaries because he properly consulted the people on the lifting of the age limit besides engaging them in development issues.

Whether or not the losers in the elections will honour the party position of not standing as independents cannot be determined at this time given many have protested the results, claiming rigging, bribery and voter intimidation.

Background

The controversial amendment to remove the presidential age limit from the Constitution came to a conclusion on December 27, 2017 when President Museveni assented to it by signing it into law. With the presidential signing, the Bill now becomes law and is cited as an Act of Parliament, paving way for President Museveni to be eligible to contest for re-election in 2021 and beyond.

Compiled Simon Peter Emwamu, Felix Basiime, Francis Mugerwa & Alex Ashaba Robert Muhereza, Leonard Mbishinzimana & Emmanuel Arineitwe