President Yoweri Museveni has asked the NRM flag bearer in the Igara East By-election, Mr Andrew Martial, to publicly renounce his opposition to the removal of the Presidential Age Limit.
Museveni was in Bushenyi, Ruhumuro sub county, Igara East constituency to campaign for the NRM flag bearer, Andrew Martial.
“I heard someone talk about Andrew Martial. He worked in my office for a very long time. I have just heard that he does not support the removal of the presidential age limit, I wondered what was wrong with him,” Museveni said.
“I had thought of summoning him to find out if there is a problem with him. We do not enter politics for the sake of it, but to change what is not right. If you do not want to fix what is wrong then stay home,” Museveni added summoning Martial to the pulpit.
When he started speaking, Martial immediately changed his stance, vowing that he has never been against the age limit removal.
“Your excellency, I want to announce here and now that I never said those things. I am one of those in support of the amendment of the constitution to remove the presidential age limit,” Martial said amidst cheers from the audience.
It should be noted that before he was kicked out of parliament, Martial had joined other NRM legislators to dismiss the constitutional amendment.
“Fellow Ugandans, irrespective of our political affiliations, let’s not forget our constitutional obligation bestowed upon us and the historical duty to finally cause a peaceful transfer of power. Let us be part of the advocacy for peaceful transfer of political power so that later we can be counted for respecting the law of the land,” Martial said in September.
Martial in the same month was quoted in an interview with NBS TV at parliament when he said members of his constituency had vehemently dismissed the amendment and he was following suit.
Unfortunately for him, a few weeks later he was kicked out of parliament over voter bribery following a petition by his rival Michael Mawanda. He now faces competition from Mawanda as well as Independent candidate Benjamin Katana.