DP President, Norbert Mao has applauded the move by all democracy seeking forces especially the Uganda Law Society (ULS) in challenging the legality of the recently enacted Age limit Act.
In December 2017, Parliament voted in favor of amending the constitution including the removal of Presidential age limits, extension of the electoral terms for MPs and local government councils by two more years, among other provisions.
But the opposition has since challenged the constitutionality of these provisions arguing that the legislators do not possess the power to unilaterally extend their term.
The Uganda Law Society is the latest to challenge the amendments, in a suit filed on January 15 in the Constitutional Court against the Attorney General.
“We welcome the legal challenge to certain provisions of the Act by various sections of our society. In particular, we salute the Uganda Law Society for filing a constitutional case challenging the unconstitutional and fraudulent attempt by the Parliament to enlarge its current term by two years,” Mao said at a press conference held at the DP headquarters on Tuesday.
Mao revealed that the DP’s legal team will support the case fully, adding that there is no sane judge that would fail to squash the extension of legislators’ term.
He added that the party’s legal team will also initiate other legal proceedings aimed at testing the constitutionality of other provisions of the new amendments in the constitutional court.
Mao as well described as “short sighted” Ugandans who opine that the K’okigwatako campaign by the opposition was a loss especially given that the law was passed regardless.
“Short sighted people will think that the passage of the Constitutional amendment Bill was a defeat for those of us who disagree with the NRM”.
“In reality, that Bill which has now been signed into law is a poisoned chalice. First, it is a suicide pact for those who voted in favour of it. Secondly, it is a curtain raiser for a new era for the democracy seeking forces to overcome their fragmentation, consolidate and confront the Museveni regime as a united front,” he said.
He added that, the campaign which the Democratic Party launched in July 2017 “captured the imagination of the country and provided a much needed glue to focus our efforts”.
According to Mao, the decision on whether or not to lift the Presidential age limits hinged not on the merits of the arguments but on the financial appetite of the legislators and the tyranny of the majority.
Mao termed the new law as a suicide pact for those who voted in favour of it.