Police arrest and detain MPs for opposing a bill seeking to make Museveni rule Uganda for life

alice

December 20, 2017 4:33 PM

Per the Uganda’s electoral, a candidate is ineligible to vie for president if he or she is 75 years or above. However, 73-year-old Yoweri Museveni who has been in power for 31 years is seeking to remove the cap through amendment to enable him extend his rule in 2021, though he is likely to cross the threshold before then.

Two members of the Ugandan parliament were arrested and detained on Wednesday as they tried to enter the house to take part in the debate regarding a controversial bill under consideration seeking to

The bill generated a heated debate in parliament and on Tuesday, the speaker had to suspend proceedings and further suspended six other MPs who had raised objection to the bill.

The reason assigned to their suspension was that they allegedly conducted themselves in a disorderly manner, after the lawmakers raise concerns about the presence of military men who had stormed the house for suspicious reasons.

Africanspotlight.com reported that the legislators blocked by police were attempting to enter parliament to serve court documents on House speaker Rebecca Kadaga, who was presiding over the debate.

It said the document called on her to appear in court at 2 p.m. in respect of “the irregular suspension of our members of parliament,” independent lawmaker Wilfred Niwagaba said prior to his detention.

It is far from clear why the said lawmakers had been detained as the Ugandan police have been tightlipped.

alice