The ruling party’s highest decision making organ, the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) has endorsed the move to have the constitution amended to remove the Presidential age limit. The decision to back the amendment follows a CEC meeting convened at State House in Entebbe on Tuesday chaired by President Yoweri Museveni.
A statement issued by the Acting Secretary General of the NRM Richard Todwong after the closed meeting stated that the CEC resolved “to fully support the Bill for the Act entitled Constitution amendment moved by Hon. Raphael Magyezi”.
The party organ, however, did not disclose the grounds on which the resolution to support the Bill was based. Following Tuesday’s consensus, members of the CEC are now set to embark on popularizing the position to the rest of the party structures and the country as a whole.
In the statement, Todwong urged Ugandans to tolerate differing views on the ongoing debate while also ensuring that calm prevails.
“In the spirit and culture of democracy that the NRM fought for and believes in, we call upon the population to be respectful and tolerant of all the diverse views that may be peacefully and lawfully expressed during this process,” the statement read.
This decision by CEC now galvanizes the NRM’s consensus on the amendment, weeks after the party’s Parliamentary caucus endorsed it. In the same caucus meeting President Museveni too threw his weight behind the Bill.
Majority of those with the NRM pushing for the removal of the age 75 cap for one to run for top office say the law is discriminatory and that it deprives some Ugandans an opportunity to lead.
If the Bill is enacted into law, it will pave way for 73-year-old President Museveni who would now be in his last term of office to again run for Presidency in the 2021 elections.