Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire should be the one upholding the Constitution, but that is an ideal situation.
In reality, he feels the clause stipulating a 75 year age limit for one to stand for the presidency of Uganda “needs” to be lifted to allow President Yoweri Museveni to contest in the 2021 elections.
The succession debate is raging, but there is no clear anointed successor which is a sign that Museveni will be on the ballot come 2021. There has been a rumoured “Muhoozi Project” with claims that First Son Maj. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was being groomed to take over the Presidency, but Muhoozi has denied harbouring interest in the top office in the country, choosing to focus on his military career.
Otafiire has never been a man to mince his words and he says that if Museveni performs well this term, the Constitution will definitely be amended to allow him another term, which would extend his rule to 40 years in power.
While speaking at the opening of Mitooma Justice Centre in Western Uganda, Otafiire criticised those pushing the succession agenda, arguing that Museveni can continue his reign.
“Will you drown your selves if we change the Constitution, we are the majority in Parliament (NRM),” Otafiire said. He is not an MP though, having lost the Ruhinda North constituency seat to Rtd. Capt. Dononzio Kahonda in the 2016 elections.
It should be recalled that prior to the 2006 elections, the two-term limit clause was lifted by Parliament allowing President Museveni to continue contesting in elections. At that time each Member of Parliament received Shs5m to “consult” with their constituents on the matter, but the money was construed as a bribe by opposition politicians and civil society organisations.