Uganda Ruling Party Pushes to Make Museveni Life President

Uganda Ruling Party Pushes to Make Museveni Life President

 

President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, took power in 1986. Shortly after, he published a book titled What is Africa’s Problem? And he concluded that “The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but leaders who want to overstay in power.”

But now, the President is vehemently opposed to ‘short terms in office’. He has categorically said that ‘Short terms are bad’. He condemned the military intervention in Zimbabwe which led to the ouster of Robert Mugabe

Museveni is now 31 years in power and he is pushing for the amendment of the Uganda constitution which bars 75-year-old and above from contesting for presidential position. Museveni is now 73 years old and ineligible, according to the country’s laws, to contest for the position of the president. But his party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) is championing a bill to amend the constitution to remove the age limit.

The Uganda President had said he was not seeking re-election but sources close to power have faulted this position, saying Museveni wants to be a life president.

A source told Discover Africa News that the NRM members at the parliament have voted unanimously in favour of age limit removal, a move he said would enable Museveni to stay in power for 51 years.

In 2005, the NRM parliamentarians pushed and amended the constitution and changed the tenure of office of the president from a two-term of 5 years to an age limit of 75 years. But our sources have confirmed that Museveni wants to “remain around till he dies”.

Fist fights erupted between MPs, Uganda’s parliament in September as parliamentarians began the process to remove the presidential age limit.

Brawls have continued to be the order of the day at the parliament because opposition party members are demonstrating resolve to stop the bill.