3 dissent as NRM’s top organ adopts age limit bill

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s top organ, Central Executive Committee (CEC) has agreed to fully support Raphael Magyezi’s age limit bill.

The bill if passed will remove the upper and lower age limit caps in the Constitution and could give President Museveni another shot at the high office despite being above 75 years of age by 2021.

In a meeting chaired by President Museveni at State House Entebbe yesterday, majority of CEC members voted to “fully support the bill moved by Magyezi.”

The NRM deputy secretary general, Richard Todwong, confirmed the stand by the party’s top organ in a statement released after the meeting.

He said the CEC had also agreed to popularise their decision to popularise Magyezi’s bill at all structures and membership of the NRM, and the entire country guiding and mobilising them accordingly.

“In spirit and culture of democracy that the NRM fought for and believes in, we call upon the population to be respectful and tolerant of all diverse views that may be peacefully and lawfully expressed during this process,” Todwong’s statement reads.

However, Nile Post understands that three CEC members dissented, including; NRM Youth League chairman, Gaddafi Nassur, Vice Chairperson of NRM western Uganda, Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza and the NRM chairman for Karamoja, Simon Aleper.

When contacted, Aleper refused to comment on the matter, even with constant persuasion, he was not willing to mention what transpired in the meeting.

Gaddafi Nassur on the other side, confirmed he had dissented labelling the rest as “cowards”.

“I said out my mind, the rest are cowards,” he said before adding; “I have no more comments for now, but as soon as I settle, I will release a statement.”

The CEC becomes the second party organ to endorse the age limit bill, after the NRM Caucus.

During the caucus meeting, President Museveni made known his intentions regarding the bill saying it is "mine" not Magyezi’s.