Police issues strict guidelines as court delivers age limit judgment today

Police has issued a number of guidelines to be followed by the public as the constitutional court delivers its judgment in a petition challenging the presidential age limit today in Mbale.

According to the area police spokesperson Sowedi Mansur, a number of roads including Republic Street and Uhuru lane that pass-by Mbale High Court will be closed to reduce traffic accessing the court and also to ensure the court proceedings are not interrupted.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up mostly by anti riot police in Mbale to prevent any chaos  before, during and after the judgment.

A panel of judges of the Constitutional Court led by the Deputy Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Cheborion Barishaki , Kenneth Kakuru,Elizabeth Musoke and Remmy Kasule will deliver their ruling today Thursday.

The court is expected to determine whether mending article 102(b) which removed the lower and upper age limits for a presidential candidate was constitutional and whether extending the parliamentary term from the usual five to seven years was constitutional.

There was chaos during the amendment of constitution last year including security forces raiding parliament ,a thing the petitioners says was unconstitutional and court is expected to address itself on the manner and activities leading to the passing of the bill.

Parliament on December 20 passed the age limit bill before being signed into law by President Museveni seven days later to allow lifting of the cap on the lower and upper age limit from 35 and 75 respectively.

A group of five people including the Uganda Law Society (ULS), lawyer Male Kiwanuka Mabirizi, six Opposition MPs led by the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Winnie Kiiza, Prosper Businge, Dr.Abed Bwanika and Jonathan Abaine Buregyeya petitioned the Constitutional Court challenging the passing of the age limit bill into law saying it contravened the constitution.