Supreme Court upholds age limit amendments

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The Supreme Court in Kololo has upheld the amendment of the constitution to scrap the lower and upper presidential age limits by parliament 

 Last year, the Constitutional Court sitting in Mbale in a 4:1 decision, upheld the scrapping of the presidential age limit clauses from the Constitution by Parliament prompting a group of three parties including the Uganda Law Society, lawyer Male Mabirizi and 6 opposition MPs led by Winnie Kiiza to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.

On Thursday afternoon, a panel of 7 judges of the Supreme Court in a 4:3 judgment held that the majority justices of the Constitutional Court never erred when they ruled that the entire process of conceptualising, debating and enactment of Constitution (Amendment) Act 2018 that removed the presidential age limit from the Constitution did not contravene the 1995 Constitution and Rules of Procedure of Parliament.

The Supreme Court also held that Justices of the Constitutional Court never erred when they ruled that the removal of the age limit for the President was not inconsistent with the Constitution.

“The decision of the constitutional court is upheld and this appeal fails,” said Justice Eldad Mwanguya who read the final verdict on behalf of the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe who was unwell.

Justices Stella Amoko Arachi, Ruby Opio Aweri, Jotham Tumwesigye and Bart Katureebe upheld the decision of the constitutional court whereas justices Eldad Mwanguhya, Paul Mugamba and Lilian Tibatemwa disagreed with the lower court.

The verdict by the Supreme Court means President Museveni, who will be above 75 years will now be eligible to stand for election in 2021.

 

 

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