Ssemujju Nganda
Ibrahim Ssemujju (Kira Municipality) asked Uganda’s Parliament to emulate the Democratic Party in the United States that asked President Biden not to contest in the November 2024 election on account of old age and subject President Museveni to periodical medical checkups so as to gauge his mental and physical fitness at holding Uganda’s top office.
“A while ago, MP Pacuto advised that we subject ourselves to periodical medical checks following the sudden death of our colleague. But there are also constitutional requirements. To be a president, the Constitution says you must be mentally and physically fit. In the United States, President Joe Biden was asked not to participate in the election on account of his age, 79. When you have an 80-year-old who keeps making erratic decisions, I want to implore Parliament that we subject our President to periodical mental and physical tests,” noted Ssemujju.
However, John Baptist Lokii (Matheniko County) protested Ssemujju’s proposal to subject President Museveni to periodical medical checkups, arguing that the President hasn’t shown signs of failing to lead Uganda, given the vast experience he has amassed in his 40 years at the job.
“He is trying to insinuate that an elderly person at 80 can’t steer this country; he can’t reason. If America is saying that people in their 80s should be subjected to other medical tests, but our President hasn’t shown any sign of failing. He hasn’t shown any sign of failing to discharge his duties; is therefore Ssemujju in order to insinuate that our President, who is experienced to lead this country, is he in order to insinuate that our President can’t lead this country?” noted Lokii.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa ruled, noting, “You know I told you sometime back that issues of Ssemujju and the President are like issues of generals.” They usually sort themselves. But the man (Museveni) is doing very well.”
Ssemujju, however, defended his proposal, questioning President Museveni’s capability to lead Uganda because he doesn’t even remember that Uganda doesn’t have a governor for the Central Bank, remarking, “I am saying this in good faith because the makers of this Constitution had put an article that at 75 years you can’t be president.”
“I wasn’t in the Constituency Assembly. And the President himself—you know, before I came here, I was a journalist. We interviewed him, and he said, at 75 years old, you are tired. Someone who doesn’t remember that there is no governor for the Central Bank.”
