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Opposition and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) strongman Dr .Kizza Besigye has said that Uganda needs only term limits and not age limit to attain the much desired transition.
Parliament is warming up for a private members Bill by NRM MPs intended to amend article 102(b) of the Constitution that emphasises the age limit for presidential candidates.
However when asked to comment on the issue of age limit, Besigye said in his opinion, what matters is not the age limit for a presidential candidate but rather term limits would be of benefit to the country.
“Age in a democratic dispensation shouldn’t be a bar to being presidential candidate. It needn’t be just like education,”Besigye said during a news conference at his Katonga road office in Kampala.
The four time presidential candidate explained that what matters should not be education of the age of an individual but his ability to persuade people vote for him adding that this should be for a limited period of time through term limits.
“What is vital in the process of democratisation is certain checks on how long individuals stay in office and not their age.”
The Ugandan Constitution emphasises 35 and 75 years of age as the minimum and maximum age limits for any presidential candidate.
However, according to Besigye, the issue of term limits other than the age limit can only work perfectly to tame dictators in countries with high levels of democracy, other than Uganda.
He said that his views cannot surpass what is already in the Constitution asking Members of Parliament to fight hard and resist the looming constitutional amendment.
“If there is a constitution we must follow it. It is not something we can easily review. Even if there are aspects of the constitution which I may not be comfortable with, I must embrace them,” the opposition strongman clarified.
He however expressed concern that the current parliament cannot resist being used by President Museveni to achieve his own agenda of amending the constitution in his favour.
“Despite parliament and MPs being Museveni’s hired machinery, there are a few legislators who are still representing people’s aspirations and with these, the struggle is still on.”
NRM legislators are expected to table a private members bill intended to have the presidential age limit lifted, a move many believe is intended to have President Museveni stand for another term in Uganda’s highest office.
The current age limit for a presidential candidate is 75 years .President Museveni recently clocked 73 years and is ineligible to stand for president in the forthcoming 2021 elections.
Source: nile post
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