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Museveni signs law to extend his stay in office


Uganda President Yoweri Museveni’s used his first full day in office in 2018 to sign into law a controversial bill that clears the way for him to extend his stay in office beyond 2021.

On Tuesday, the former guerrilla leader aged 73, signed into law a controversial Constitution Amendment Bill No.2 of 2017, popularly known as the age-limit bill which was recently passed by Parliament.

This development was confirmed by Linda Nabusayi, who is the Head of State’s press secretary.

The move now means that Museveni could run for another term of office in 2021 should he choose to.

AGE LIMIT

The previous law barred Museveni, who has been at the helm since 1986, from contesting in the next elections set for 2021 as he would already have attained the age of 75.

Uganda’s Parliament had in December voted by a majority of 317 MPs against 97 to not only change the Constitution and remove the 75-year age limit on the presidency, but also extend the term of MPs from five to seven years.

The voting was however marred by chaos by a section of the lawmakers, and consistent arrests of lawmakers who were against the bill.

This is the second time the country’s Parliament is passing a law that favours Museveni’s continuous stay in Parliament. In 2005, the lawmakers also passed a law to remove term limits on a sitting President.