NRM MPs supporting the removal of Presidential age cap say they are not intimidated by attacks from rebel MPs, opposition and the general public.
Addressing the press at Parliament on Thursday, the MPs told off those opposing removal of age limit that they are all equal and above all they have the numerical strength.
This follows Wednesday’s NRM rebel MPs’ attacks on the NRM MPs who signed a motion in which they agreed to table a Private Member’s Bill to lift the Presidential age Limit on Tuesday.
The rebel MPs are Kampala Central MP, Muhammad Nsereko, Barnabas Tinkasimire of Buyaga West, Theodore Ssekikubo of Lwemiyaga County, Wilfred Niwagaba of Ndorwa East, Felix Okot of Dokolo South and John Baptist Nambeshe of Manjiya County.
Evelyn Anite, the State Minister of Finance for Investment and Privatization, who led the NRM ‘loyal’ group, said that NRM is the one in charge of running Uganda.
“We were voted by Ugandans to come and represent their views. They (rebel MPs and opposition) should shut up and wait for the time when Ugandans will give the mandate to them,” Anite said.
“We have the following, we have the logic and it is the battle of the brain. We shall not beat him (referring to Nsereko who said if it means going physical to protect the constitution, they will do it); we shall beat him with our brains on the floor. But if the worst comes to the worst, we shall not go to the gym because we are fit, we shall show them,” she added.
Controversial Kabula County, James Kakooza weighed into the debate.
He noted that Ugandans should accommodate each other’s opposing views. “If you say that you don’t want to reason, then I don’t think that you should be allowed to even be near power. I have heard these things from Opposition that we shall kill you, what if the people in Government also reply?” Kakooza wondered.
He added: “I think people shouldn’t get worried, the MPs are doing their job and we shall do it as we think because we are representatives of the people and by the way, we are the summary of Ugandans and once they take a decision, the law has to be implemented.”
“My young brothers (rebel MPs) who want to play around the gallery, we know their problem; they aren’t principled. Maybe by the time we bring that motion in the House, they will run away and we know why they will run away, they won’t succumb to sustain what they are talking about.”
Moses Balyeku, the Jinja Municipality West MP said they are still working on the bill to amend the constitution.
“In NRM we consult, agree and come up with one position,” he said, adding: “No one can scare a Member of Parliament; we are all equal, we represent the people of Uganda,” he said.
Also weighing in on the debate was Peter Ogwang (Usuk County MP), who said it is disheartening to see legislators inciting the public.
“Lawyers who should understand the constitution more than us the paralegals are the ones going out to incite. For us, we are interested in stability and that’s why we are here. We are here to make laws which will live for the rest of its time,” he said, adding: “I hear on Social Media some people saying we have raped the constitution. Who tells you we are raping the constitution? Do you understand the word rape?”
