Uganda parliament approves bill removing presidential age limit News
Uganda parliament approves bill removing presidential age limit

The Ugandan parliament voted on Wednesday to eliminate the presidential age limit [press release] of 75 years.

The controversial “Age Limit Bill” also extends the terms of office for the president and the parliament from five years to seven years.

The bill would allow Uganda’s current president, Yoweri Museveni, to run again for the presidency in 2023. The bill comes at a crucial time for the Museveni administration because Museveni would have been too old to run again by the next election. Under the new age limits, Museveni could effectively serve as president until 2037.

Two legislators were arrested as they tried to access parliament and serve the speaker with court summons. The court orders were filed in order to bring to light the suspension of six opposition parliament members that were not allowed to vote during the age limit debate in parliament. The legislators have petitioned the High Court in order to be let back into parliament to serve their summons.

Opponents have sworn to challenge the amendment [press release], claiming that the change is in violation of the country’s constitution. The opponents say that the bill is against the will of Uganda’s people, claiming that 75 percent of the public has voted against the new presidential amendments.