Members of the Uganda Joint Christian Council which consists of the Church of Uganda, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Uganda Orthodox Church on Monday told journalists here are indications, judging form views that are being expressed through social media and other platforms, that clashes between proponents and opponents of the age limit bill may intensify in the coming days leading to more arrests, detention and other human rights violations.
The group said government should temporarily refrain from tabling the bill to allow wider consultations among Ugandans.
These remarks were made by Rev. Fr. Dr. Sylvester Arinaitwe Rwomukubwe, the Executive Secretary of the Uganda Joint Christian Council at their offices in Nsambya.
Earlier this month, Members of Parliament ascribed to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and some independent MPs passed a resolution to debate the removal of the presidential age limit currently pegged at 75.
For critics, the move is seen as a thinly-veiled push by Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for more than three decades, to hold onto power.
“Listen to the voices of reason and refrain from tabling the intended private member’s bill before parliament in order to give Ugandans more time to deliberate on the planned amendment of Article 102 (b) of the constitution and other related matters through a structured platform in the interest of national unity, peace and stability,” Rev. Fr. Dr. Sylvester Arinaitwe said.
Like the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), Uganda Joint Christian Council appealed to the state to allow the decision on the presidential age limit to be made by the general public.
“The amendment of the constitution should , therefore, be approached dispassionately and with full participation of the people in whom sovereign power resides, including the power to censure leaders,” Rev. Fr. Dr. Sylvester Arinaitwe said.
“The farmers of the 1995 constitution decided, in their own wisdom, to provide for various safe guards against dictatorship and oppression in the constitution including various provisions, some of which have already been repealed,” Rev. Fr. Dr. Sylvester Arinaitwe added.
aaron@ugchristiannews.com
