Nwoya NRM Faithful Express Support for Age Limit Removal

Supporters of National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Acholi sub region on Wednesday marched on the streets of Anaka Town council in support of the bill seeking to lift presidential age limits from the constitution.

Led by NRM deputy national secretary general Richard Todwong and Dr. Dan Ssekiboobo, the technical analyst in the office of NRM party National chairman, the party faithfuls walked and sang in support of the bill tabled on Tuesday by Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi. 

Rose Abwono, the representative of elders in Nwoya district, says they firmly support the bill to empower more elders to contribute to the leadership of this country. During the march, Abwono held a yellow placard saying “I am 80 years. I want to contest for Presidency. Remove age limit”.

Michael Odong, a retired primary school head teacher told URN during the march that he supports the removal of the age limit on account that elders are the conscience of African societies. He said President Yoweri Museveni should stay on to fully stabilise the East African region. 

The demonstrators were drawn from a section of the structures of the ruling party in districts of Gulu, Amuru, Omoro and Nwoya. They marched holding posters bearing the portrait of President Museveni as they chanted slogans of support and praise for the man who has ruled the country since 1986.

Throughout the march, Police was absent to regulate traffic or question the organisers of the march whose defining moment came when a group of youth calling themselves NRM cadres in Amuru joined it with logs of bamboos painted in white. In a show of force, they marched mimicking a parade with the logs held up on their shoulders. 

One of them said they will March forward to defend the constitution from undemocratic attempts aimed at hijacking it from the whims of the majority. 

Residents of Nwoya Town council stoop by their shops watching the demonstrators in silence. Dominic Ochan, one of the residents said residents he was shocked to see strangers brought from outside purporting to represent them on a sensitive matter.

The group then assembled at Nwoya district headquarters where senior party leaders addressed a rally in which they outlined reasons why they want article 102 of the Constitution amended. The article caps the age of someone contesting for the office of the president between 35 and 75 years. Magyezi says the article is discriminatory to the young people and the elderly.