The Kyaka South MP Jackson Kafuzi yesterday found a torrid time at Makerere University main hall when students, staff and politicians turned rowdy and accused him of betrayal and corruption.
This was during a public dialogue that was organised by Makerere University School of Law in conjunction with Public Interest Law Clinic (Pilac) and Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL).It was under the theme: The Proposed amendment of article 102 (b) – implications on constitutionalism and the rule of law in Uganda.
Prof John Jean Barya from Makerere school of law told Kafuzi that there is no need to amend article 102 (b) because above 75 years of age, a person will have biologically become senile, on top of the bill being irrelevant to Ugandans.
“We are now dealing with personal rule and because the president has been in power for so long, he thinks that the state is a personal kingdom. That’s why he keeps saying my oil, my army, my treasury. This type of rule can not take us out of underdevelopment,” Barya said.
The law don was responding to Kafuzi’s claim that removal of age limit was meant to eliminate discrimination based on age for presidential aspirants.
But to Sylivia Namubiru Mukasa, the executive director of Legal Aid Service Providers’ Network (LAPSNET), the constitution does not include age as a basis for discrimination, and so the “mover of the bill, MP Rapheal Magyezi lied Ugandans that he intends to eliminate discrimination”.
“Article 21 of the constitution means to give different treatment to different persons attributable only to sex, race, colour, ethnical origin, tribe, birth and social economic standing. Age doesn’t appear,” Namubiru said amidst deafening applause from the crowds that had flooded the main hall.
Prof Barya concluded by saying that the issue of age limit bill should not be looked as a sign of growing democracy or rule of law because when analysed, it seeks to favour no other person other than President Museveni who had been in power for over 30 years now.
For her part, Irene Ovonji-Odida, a law lecturer and the vice chairperson Makerere University Council referred to article 3 of the constitution to drive her point home.
“It says that you have to oppose any group or persons who intend to abrogate or amend the constitution,” she said.
Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the Butambala County MP, accused his co-legislator of being unpatriotic and corrupt.
“I’m paid a salary of Shs 6 million as a member of parliament. And Honorable Kafuzi, why allow extra Shs 20 million to go and meet your constituents? We [opposition] are returning ours. I encourage him to also return the Shs20m,” Kivumbi said.
He insisted on using violence to ensure the constitution is not amended when he referred to former Germany Chancellor Otto Von Bismarck’s popular quote that the questions of the day (age limit amendment in this case) can not be answered by mere speeches but by blood and iron.
One of the Makerere students Vincent (not real name) told Kafuzi to be thankful to God for his life.
“Honorable, I want to tell you that you are so lucky. why? Because you would be dead by now. We would have already lynched you for supporting this silly bill. For us here we are saying Togikwatako and that’s it,” the students said.