It is not yet over as Uganda Law Society goes to court to fight extension of MPs term
The extension of the tenure of members of parliament in the newly create Age-Limit Law is being challenged by the Uganda Law Society (ULS) at the constitutional court, this paper understands. ULS is challenging the Law, for creating inconsistencies in the constitution.
In its petition filed through its President Francis Gimara, with acclaimed law Professor Frederick Ssempebwa and former Leader of the Opposition in parliament, Professor Ogenga Latigo, ULS wants the law, particularly that on the length of the MPs term quashed by court.
The society argues that “the new law will mean the electoral commission will have to organize two different sets of elections in a space of two years, one for the president and one for MPs.”
This ULS says is inconveniencing, and a disturbance of civil liberties.
The law does not extend the term of the president, and this can only be done through a referendum. The electoral commission has already acknowledged readiness to organize such a referendum, if the need arises.
Apart from extending the term of parliament and those of local councilors, the Age-Limit Law also removes the upper age limit of 75 for the position of president and sets the lower age to 18 for anyone interested in standing for president. The main thrust of the pro-age limit removal group prior to the amendment, was that the constitutional provision on age-limit was discriminatory.
