Anti-riot Police have moved into backstreets in Kikoni and Wandegeya areas outside Uganda’s oldest tertiary institution Makerere University, arresting students protesting against lifting presidential age-limit on Thursday.
Many students have criticised plans to change the constitution and were planning to march to Parliament today to present a motion to the Speaker not to allow the age limit discussions to take place.
Meanwhile, Police have sealed off the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) offices in Kampala and the cops helped by the military and other sister agencies are all over city streets, surrounding the parliamentary building and pitching camp at the Constitutional Square.
The road sloping down from the Kampala High Court as well as Shimoni Road connecting to Buganda Road were closed to all motor vehicles. Only pedestrians are allowed to access them.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was also arrested from his home as he was preparing to leave in a procession to the city centre to demonstrate. He was whisked away to Kira division police station but Agago Mp, Ogenga Latigo has been denied entry at Parliament and police claims its already full.
Kampala Central MP Nsereko beat security one of the most vocal opponents to enter the August House.
Recently, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) caucus endorsed a proposal to repeal article 102 (b) of the constitution, which restricts the presidential age limit to between 35 and 75 years of age. The move is allegedly aimed at paving way for President Museveni who will be above 75 years by the 2021 polls to offer himself for election.
President Yoweri Museveni has been in power since the 1980s.
The government says he is 73 but the opposition has said he is lying about this and is actually five years older.
The proposal drew angry reactions from a cross section of legislators including those from the ruling NRM and political activities. They vowed to stage massive protests across the country until the proposal is dropped. Early this week, police picked up 14 youth activists for staging protests in the city center against the proposal.
Police have since summoned four MPs including Allan Ssewanyana, Barnabas Tinkasamire, Muhammad Nsereko and Theodore Ssekikuboto record statements for allegedly inciting violence in relation to the proposed amendment.
TheUgandan on Wednesday reported how police have banned protests scheduled for Thursday against the proposed scrapping of the age limit.
The police statement says protests are banned because of the risk of violence.
Arrest of protesters continue countrywide.
