Age-limit Bill passes first reading

The controversial Constitution Amendment Bill which aims to remove age limitations on the presidency and enable President Yoweri Museveni to stand again in 2021 went through the first reading in Parliament on Tuesday. The East African reports that only MPs from the ruling National Resistance Movement were present after opposition MPs withdrew from the House following the previous week’s bloody protest. They claim the brawl was an attempt part to intimidate them to stop opposing the Bill. Police have also raided offices of at least three civil society organisations it accuses of opposing the Bill. The report notes that the Bill was subsequently forwarded to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for further discussion. Museveni (73) has been in power since 1986 initially condemned African leaders who stay in power for too long.