Over 150 Religious leaders under Justice and Peace Network have expressed commitment to support legislators and all Ugandans who are against the amendment of Article 102 (b) which is aimed at removal of the presidential age limit.
The position was communicated by Rev. Fr. Gaetano Batanyenda during a one day retreat of religious leaders from different areas across the country.
The religious leaders said that they have a critical role in ensuring justice and restoring sanity and peace in the country which role they have come out to play in the issues at hand.
They communicated their acknowledgement and association with the statement issued by the Inter-religious council of Uganda on Tuesday which among others called upon government to instead prepare a referendum of the contentious debate.
We acknowledge the leadership offered by the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament to stay the proposed motion on the age limit; to us Article 102 (b) is one of the remaining fire walls that the framers of our constitution put in the 1995 constitution, Rev. Batanyenda said.
Batanyenda said that they have a duty to defend those safeguards because their importance to the people and the country is so paramount and a spiritual calling to them as religious leaders.
We applaud and take sides with members of Parliament on all sides who have come out openly to oppose the proposed amendments and commit our support as you to take on this fight against the intended adulteration of our constitution, Batanyenda noted.
Batanyenda called upon all Ugandans that are still on the fence to join the “progressive voices” in parliament to save the constitution from being amended.
We also condemn in the strongest term the actions by the State to gag citizen voices united against the proposed adulteration of the constitution by removing the presidential age limit and in particular, the violent attacks on peaceful citizens.