President Yoweri Museveni has lashed out at the NRM Members of Parliament opposed to the Age Limit Bill, labelling them as “parasites”. He said that the critical legislators had made no contribution to the economic development of the country yet continue to enjoy the benefits.
This missive was contained in a letter by President Museveni to Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Sekibubo, Kumi MP Monicah Amoding, Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire and Kasanda MP Patrick Nsamba Oshabe.
Museveni was responding to an earlier letter from the four MPs in which they challenged the NRM party position to support the proposed constitutional amendment to repeal Presidential age limits.
But the President had no kind words who he criticized of undermining the achievements of his government.
“Many of you who talk negatively have not contributed to the ideology of patriotism, to the liberation of the country, to the recovery of the economy and to the consolidation of peace or to the great developments that we have achieved,” Museveni wrote in the letter dated November 7.
He further wrote; “Yet you benefit economically and otherwise. We call this parasitism and that parasitism will be resisted and defeated”.
The President said justified the Age Limit Bill which he said he had come to learn was an urgent issue among the constitutional amendments recommended by the Supreme Court in its post 2016 election petition ruling.
He defended Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi for taking the initiative to introduce the Bill which “is not necessarily a problem if it does not involve spending money on a regular basis”.
“Uganda was liberated by freedom fighters, supported by the masses. The NRM has ensured peace in the country. Many of you have benefited from that work literally and metaphorically,” Museveni wrote.
He said it is the duty of the four legislators to contribute to the process than undermine it.
On October 13 during an NRM Parliamentary caucus meeting to discuss the contentious amendment, President Museveni had the same MPs thrown out for intimidating and threatening their fellow party members with whom they did not agree on the Bill.
He said the party would not tolerate members that employ “enemy tacticts” rather than civil discourse.