Members of Parliament yesterday approved the removal of the upper cap of the presidential age limit from the Constitution and reduced the lower cap to 18 years.
The move has now eliminated the last hurdle for President Museveni to seek reelection when his term of office ends in 2021. He is now aged 73, and will be eligible for another term of office.
The endorsement came after majority MPs supported the amendment of Article 102(b) of the Constitution that provided for the presidential age limits between 35 years and 75 years. This was in a sitting Chaired by Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.
The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee chaired by West Budama South MP Jacob Oboth-Oboth recommended for the removal of the upper presidential age limit and a reduction of the lower limit to 18 years which are the set limit for a Ugandan to vote.
This was one of the committee's recommendations on the Constitutional (Amendment) (No.2) Bill tabled by Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi.
Meanwhile, with the amendment of Article 102(b) Parliament also approved the reinstatement and entrenchment of presidential term limits in the Constitution as recommended by the committee. Term limits were lifted by parliament in 2005.
The two Presidential Term Limits had been imposed in Article 105 (2) and were removed through the Constitution (Amendment) Act, No.11 of 2005.
In 2005, Term Limits would have barred President Museveni from contesting in 2006 elections, having completed the two five-year terms from 1996.
With the entrenchment of term limits now, they can now only be removed from the Constitution through a referendum.
However after the approval of this reinstatement, Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana took to the floor saying that the reasons why parliament has removed the age limits is that same reason why term limits were removed in September 2005.
He pleaded with Speaker Kadaga to reconsider and they first debate effectively the reinstatement.
However, Kadaga declined saying that a question had already been put and nothing could be done.
How the MPs Voted at the Third Reading
NAME
CONSTITUENCY
DISTRICT
VOTE
ABABIKU JESCA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
ADJUMANI
YES
ABACANON GUTOMOI
ERUTE COUNTY NORTH
LIRA
ABALA DAVID
NGORA COUNTY
NGORA
YES
ABIGABA CUTHBERT MIREMBE
KIBALE COUNTY
KAMWENGE
YES
ABIRIGA IBRAHIM Y.A.
ARUA MUNICIPALITY
ARUA
YES
ACHEN CHRISTINE AYO
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
ALEBTONG
YES
ACHIA REMIGIO
PIAN COUNTY
NAKAPIRIPIRIT
YES
ACHIA TERENCE NACO
BOKORA COUNTY
NAPAK
YES
ACHIENG SARAH OPENDI
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
TORORO
YES
ACHIRO LUCY OTIM
ARUU NORTH COUNTY
PADER
NO
ACIDRI JAMES
MARACHA EAST COUNTY
MARACHA
NO
ACOM JULIUS BUA
OTUKE COUNTY
OTUKE
YES
ADEKE ANNA EBAJU
FEMALE YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE
NO
ADOA HELLEN
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
SERERE
YES
ADOME BILDAD MOSES
JIE COUNTY
KOTIDO
ADONG LILLY
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
NWOYA
NO
AGABA ABBAS MIGISHA
KITAGWENDA COUNTY
KAMWENGE
YES
AJILO MARIA GORETTI ELOGU
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KABERAMAIDO
YES
AKAMBA PAUL
BUSIKI COUNTY
NAMUTUMBA
YES
AKAMPURIRA PROSSY
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
RUBANDA
YES
AKELLO JUDITH FRANCA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
AGAGO
NO
AKELLO LILLY ROSE
YES
AKELLO LUCY
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
AMURU
NO
AKELLO SILVIA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
OTUKE
AKENA JAMES MICHAEL JIMMY
LIRA MUNICIPALITY
LIRA
NO
AKOL ANTHONY
KILAK NORTH COUNTY
AMURU
NO
AKORA MAXWELL
MARUZI COUNTY
APAC
YES
AKUGIZIBWE LAWRENCE
MWENGE COUNTY NORTH
KYENJOJO
NO
AKURUT VIOLET ADOME
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KATAKWI
YES
ALEPER AACHILLA MARGARET
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KOTIDO
YES
ALERO TOM AZA
WEST MOYO COUNTY
MOYO
YES
ALI MOSES
ADJUMANI WEST COUNTY
ADJUMANI
YES
ALIONI YORKE ODRIA
ARINGA SOUTH COUNTY
YUMBE
YES
ALUM SANTA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
OYAM
NO
ALYEK JUDITH
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KOLE
YES
AMEEDE AGNES
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
PALLISA
YES
AMERO SUSAN
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
AMURIA
AMODING MONICAH
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KUMI
NO
AMONG ANNITA ANNET
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
BUKEDEA
YES
AMONGI BETTY ONGOM
OYAM COUNTY SOUTH
OYAM
YES
AMONGIN JACQUILINE
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
NGORA
YES
AMORU PAUL
DOKOLO NORTH COUNTY
DOKOLO
YES
AMULE DOREEN
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
AMOLATAR
YES
ANGELLA FRED
MOROTO MUNICIPALITY
MOROTO
YES
ANGUNDRU MOSES
TEREGO WEST COUNTY
ARUA
YES
ANGURA FREDRICK
TORORO SOUTH COUNTY
TORORO
YES
ANITE EVELYN
KOBOKO MUNICIPALITY
KOBOKO
YES
ANYAKUN ESTHER DAVINIA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
NAKAPIRIPIRIT
YES
ANYWARACH JOSHUA CARTER
PADYERE COUNTY
NEBBI
NO
AOGON SILAS
KUMI MUNICIPALITY
KUMI
NO
AOL BETTY OCAN
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
GULU
NO
AOL JACQUELINE RAMA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
NEBBI
YES
ARIDRU GABRIEL AJEDRA GADISON
VURRA COUNTY
ARUA
YES
ARIKO HERBERT
SOROTI MUNICIPALITY
SOROTI
NO
ARINAITWE RWAKAJARA
WORKERS REPRESENTATIVES
YES
ARINDA GORDON KAKUUNA
BUSHENYI -ISHAKA MUNICIPALITY
BUSHENYI
YES
ASABA NSABIMANA PAUL
KYAKA NORTH COUNTY
KYEGEGWA
YES
ASAMO HELLEN GRACE
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
YES
ASIIMWE EVERLYNE
UPDF REPRESENTATIVE
YES
ASIKU ELLY ELIAS
KOBOKO NORTH COUNTY
KOBOKO
YES
ASINDE BRENDA SUUBI
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
IGANGA
YES
ATYANG STELLA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
MOROTO
YES
ATIKU BENARD
AYIVU COUNTY
ARUA
NO
ATIM BEATRICE ANYWAR
KITGUM MUNICIPALITY
KITGUM
YES
ATIM JOY ONGOM
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
LIRA
NO
ATIM OGWAL CECILIA BARBARA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
DOKOLO
ATUHAIRE JACKLET
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
SHEEMA
YES
AWOR BETTY ENGOLA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
APAC
YES
AYAKA ROSE ATIMA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
MARACHA
YES
AYEBAZIBWE JASTINE
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
ISINGIRO
YES
AYEPA MICHAEL
LABWOR COUNTY
ABIM
YES
AYOO TONNY
KWANIA COUNTY
APAC
YES
AZAIRWE DOROTHY NSHAIJA
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
KAMWENGE
YES
BABA JAMES BOLIBA
KOBOKO COUNTY
KOBOKO
YES
BABIRYE JUDITH
DISTRICT WOMAN REPRESENTATIVE
BUIKWE
YES
BABIRYE KITYO SARAH
YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE CENTRAL
YES
