AGE LIMIT - Four victory strategies for Museveni

Opinions

Thu 28 Sep, 2017

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The opposition and some NRM MPs that are opposed to the Age Limit Bill need to rethink of their strategy. Museveni's options to a lifetime regime, are endless.

As soon as the Speaker adjourned parliament yesterday, my colleague Joseph Sabiiti | NBS TV questioned Odongo Otto on the sustainability of their (opposition) strategy.

Something the entire group needs to think about seriously.The team that heckled to block Raphael Magyezi from seeking leave from Parliament to draft the Age Limit bill needs to not only make threats but also have the capacity to reinforce them.

Here are Museveni's options, and the Anti-Age Limit removal MPs can do nothing;

1. Gun men attached to the army’s anti terrorism unit (Black Mamba) in November 2005, stormed High Court as judges prepared to hand bail to suspects attached to the People’s redemption Army (PRA), a shadow rebel group.

The commando’s donning Military fatigues and black tshirts brandished machine guns and snatched from the dock, 14 suspects (including FDC strongman Dr Kizza BVesigye) who had been granted bail, amidst cries and shouting from relatives and concerns from the media.

The following morning, the 14 suspects were paraded from trial at the General Court Martial.Constitutional Court months later ruled that it was wrong to try the suspects in GCM, but Museveni was unbothered, indeed he made a raid on the same court a year later (2006). Life has moved on since then.

Therefore, Parliament today, is such a small component to handle given his capabilities.

2. Media houses are ‘likely’ to be blocked from accessing parliament tomorrow. (Am sure there were more demonstrations in town than those shown on TV today), does that ring a bell?So the public will have no access on what is going on inside the house tomorrow, anyone that comes close to the house, will be crashed. But even though, opposition doesn’t have capacity to mobilize enough mob outside parliament to disrupt the house business.

3. You all saw the Speaker note down names of all those MPs that were heckling. They could all be suspended (and this is Museveni being so kind), parliament business will go on uninterrupted. This totally weakens them because it reinforces the fact that has already won majority (more than required by the way) in parliament. Over 351 MPs from NRM, Independent and opposition, this is minus 10 UPDF MPs have signed pro Age Limit Removal.

4. Museveni's soldiers will storm parliament and kick out every MP making noise, forcefully and be jailed. This is such a huge hindrance to their short term goal and Life will move on by the way. There will always be traffic jam, people will keep producing babies, and more data bundles will continue to be bought.

Conclusion?

2021 will be another coronation of the same king we have had since 1986, and if opposition needs to make an impact, their efforts should be diverted towards 2021 to win majority in parliament because no opposition in Africa has ever won an election without majority in parliament.