Ugandan president wants to rule for life

After more than 31 years in power, 73-year-old Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is carefully planning for the 2021 elections, determined to run for office again.

It needs a deft manipulation: a change in the Constitution to remove the 75-year age limit for presidential candidates, but he’s done that before. In 2005, Museveni’s party used its majority in parliament to remove the constitutional two-term presidential limit.

Riotous scenes in Uganda’s parliament yesterday and protests in defiance of a police ban on demonstrations suggested that this time the path might not be so smooth. Parliament deferred debate on the bill, which it plans to take up at a later date.

Police fired tear gas and arrested dozens of protesters opposed to the removal of the age limit, which would allow Museveni to rule for life. Authorities in Uganda have frequently jailed opposition politicians who have contested presidential elections against Museveni.

As lawmakers packed the parliament and hurled abuse over a planned contentious bill to remove the age limit, a police helicopter circled overhead and special security police armed with automatic weapons surrounded the parliament.

Opposition leader, Latigo Ogenga, said his party was determined to prevent Museveni from remaining in power after his term expires.

‘‘If we remove the age limit, people will know the only way for them would be violence and Uganda would go back to instability,’’ he said.

Several African countries have reeled back democracy and abandoned two-term presidential limits, including neighbouring Rwanda, where President Paul Kagame recently won a third term with 99 per cent of the vote – a total reminiscent of Soviet leaders.

– LA Times

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