The National Resistance Movement is working on a ten-point
justification for revising the Constitution to remove the 75-year age
cap and open the door for the leader, President Yoweri Museveni, to stay
on after 2021.
The blueprint supposed to guide members
as talking points to promote the project resulted from months of covert
research to package the most saleable justifications.
Though
the document, seen by this newspaper is unmarked as though nothing
makes it stand out, it is, as sources have confirmed, the template for
selling the project to the world.
In what is perhaps
its boldest statement, the document claims that Ugandans should not be
denied “an opportunity to ask for another rap” from a seasoned
experienced leader.
Those who work closely with
President Museveni know their way of getting noticed. When they weren’t
getting a clear picture on his stand on removing the age limit, two
tasseographers dipped their toes in the water.
[Tasseography is a divination or fortune-telling method that interprets patterns in tea leaves.]
A source close to the machinations behind the age limit Bill
says the duo’s resolve was that if Mr Museveni was interested in
starting the debate, he would show them a sign and if he didn’t, he
would stop them.
The two, however, needed money. They
approached a freshly appointed permanent secretary in a top ministry,
and three youthful MPs, for money to fund preliminary research into the
feasibility of removing the age limit and to facilitate some sort of
secretariat.
“A huge reward awaits on the horizon if we
are successfully associated with removing the presidential age limit,”
the source who spoke on condition of anonymity, quotes the two leaders.
They
gave each of the recruits a firm look in the eye as if to confirm their
seriousness and willingness to offer seed money and they did.
From
that initial effort, NRM legislators were last Wednesday presented with
a document with 10 arguments they expected to parrot after the Bill is
tabled in Parliament.
Point One: Let
the people choose their leaders. The argument is based on Article 1 of
the Constitution which states that “power belongs to the people.”
The
strategists want the NRM officials and MPs to use this as the “most
entrenched article in the Constitution,” the document argues, having a
presidential limit would be to take the power away from the people by
excluding some people.
Point Two:
Ugandans have the capacity and freedom to choose the person their
leader. The people’s freedom of choice of president is expressed through
regular free and fair elections and this right should be guaranteed and
not restricted.
“If the voters don’t like a particular
person to lead them or they are tired of his or her governance style,
they will reject that person at the time of elections and vote them
out,” the document reads.
Point Three:
The law is discriminatory against senior citizens. Article 32 of the
Constitution, they argue, prohibits discrimination based on age and
other factors.
“MPs and other leaders, except the
President and district chairpersons, do not have this kind of
restriction. It is necessary that this imbalance is addressed,” the
document reads.
Point Four: Nothing is cast in stone. There’s nothing wrong with amending the Constitution, so long as you follow the correct procedure.
“Ugandans
have the right to determine the appropriate legislation of their time
and to review the laws and make corrections where necessary.”
Point Five: Multipartyism
allows for each political party to forward the best candidate(s) from
among their members to contest for any political office.
“Nobody
can dictate to any party the person they should select to run for
president. It is up to each political party to choose the president whom
they believe will deliver success at the election and lead the country
as president irrespective of age, gender, religion or any other
consideration,” it reads.
And that’s where the problem lies for the MPs opposed to the removal of presidential age limit.
Theodore
Ssekikubo (NRM Lwemiyaga) opposes a one-man prolonged presidency since a
“forever president” in turn creates life ministers and as a result
stagnates institutions and sectors.
“Andrei Andreyevich
Gromyko was at one time the life Foreign Affairs minister for Russia.
But the president is now placid and vulnerable. We can’t allow a
combination of an open presidency and life ministers to continue because
it is not good for the country,” he said.
Mr Ssekikubo
also questions the Cabinet’s choice to use a backbencher to table the
Bill which should ideally have been introduced by the Executive.
He
argues that either the Executive is simply sleepy or does not believe
in the Bill. (A section of the Cabinet addressed a press conference in
the office of the Prime Minister to back the party’s initiative).
“Even
the Cabinet ministers are shying away from the Bill and are pushing
backbenchers to carry out an otherwise cardinal and non-delegatory duty
of the Executive,” he said.
The Constitution, however,
gives Parliament the duty to make laws and even amend the constitution
apart from where it explicitly states that there should be a referendum
or following a recommendation from district councils.
While
addressing a press conference at Parliament Buildings on Tuesday, Mr
Raphael Magyezi, the anticipated mover of the motion castigated those
opposing the Bill due their being opposed to President Museveni.
He
challenged them to put forth stronger reasons and also warned those
threatening physical injury, rather than using their intellect to
convince proponents of the Bill.
Point Six:
Uganda should copy countries like Israel who permit all their available
leadership resources to keep around and compete for elections.
“The
country is at a stage of taking off into a modern middle income
country. This is the time to galvanise all available human resources
particularly its leadership and technical manpower so long as they are
the choice of the people, elected or appointed through the legal or
institutionally recognized mechanism.”
Point Seven: Seventy-five
is arbitrary and has no justification. The framers of the Constitution,
the document says, erred in inserting 75 as the age limit, because no
one is incapable at 75.
Some people are incapable of
leading even at a much younger age whereas some are strong and dynamic
with a lot to offer the country even past age 75.
Point Eight: Uganda
is not an island in terms of governance. Other countries in the region
do not have such “archaic restrictions”. For regional governance, it is
important that Uganda takes bold steps to harmonise systems of
governance with other countries in the region.
Point Nine:
Man has a right to demand for another rap from the best dancer, even
when the adage of the best dancer leaving the stage exists.
“The
host cannot send away the best dancer at a time when people are just
warming up to enjoy the dance because that would be an anti-climax which
is not permissible in organised societies.
“It is not
the dancer who wants to stay on the floor but the people who still enjoy
and value the particular dancer’s strokes and, therefore, demand for
his or her stay,” the document reads.
Point 10:
Since Uganda is playing a critical role in regional integration,
economic empowerment and security in the EAC and the African Union, and
the continent, she should not be denied an opportunity to drink from the
tap of experienced leadership and instead be subjected to experimental
leaders and those created through political manoeuvring.
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