Clampdown as students oppose Uganda ‘life presidency’ bill

THE UGANDAN police and military have been deployed heavily across the capital, Kampala, after clashing yesterday with students protesting against a bill which would allow President Yoweri Museveni to remain in power for life.

The bill was set to be introduced in the national assembly yesterday despite growing opposition from religious leaders, civic groups and opposition leaders.

The police fired tear gas at students from Kampala’s Makerere University who attempted to stage a protest, despite warnings by police on Wednesday that no protests, either in favour or against Museveni, would be tolerated.

The offices of two NGOs, ActionAid and the Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies, accused of supporting anti-government protests, were raided as the police attempted to secure “incriminating evidence”. The US ambassador to Uganda, Deborah Malac, warned that the security crackdown and raids on the NGOs risked tarnishing Uganda’s image globally.

“Infringements on protected rights under Uganda’s constitution will impede the country’s development. We call on the government of Uganda to guarantee all its citizens freedom of speech, expression, and assembly, without fear of intimidation,” said Malac.

On Monday, Ugandan security forces arrested 10 youths for staging an illegal rally opposing the planned constitutional amendment to allow Museveni, one of the world’s longest serving rulers, to stand for another term.

The constitution stipulates that presidential candidates must be 75 or under. Museveni, now 73, came to power in 1986. At the next presidential poll in 2021, he w1ll be 77.