Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs, Adolf Kasaija Mwesige has said that article 102 (b) should be repealed, thereby removing lower and upper Presidential age limits because life expectancy has gone up in Uganda.
“The constitution which we passed in 1995 was informed by circumstances of 1995; life expectancy was 45. It is time to review that provision and completely remove that cap,” Mwesige said during the debate on Parliamentary Legal Comitte Report on Constitution Amendment (No2) Bill 2017.
“European court ruled that mandatory retirement is discriminatory. Our Constitution continues to provide free and regular elections. As long as there are regular elections, the question of life presidency can’t arise,” he added.
He also defended the seven-year term for Parliament, saying that five years aren’t sufficient for government to deliver results that Ugandans desire.
“It makes sense to increase term of Parliament from 5-7years,” he said.
