Ultimate gift the 10th Parliament can Offer Uganda amid presidency Age Limit lifting
Well, on reading this article, "Age limit removal: Inside Opposition, NRM playbooks" a crescendo of hope begins to wane. Given the NRM MP numbers in Parliament vis-a-vis opposition and independent MPs Numbers. A parliamentary vote on this issue, though highly contentious is less likely to escape the incommesurable ratio of NRM to Other MPs and thus likely to favor the former.
Its evidently clear that, some of the constitutional amendments have been tabled in favor of only one person and as opposed to National interests. For example, the author of the referenced article (Solomon Arinaitwe) pointed out clearly that, lifting of term limits was solely meant for removing a bar to only one candidate. I think I agree with you and it is without doubt that the masquerading proposals to amend the constitution have a hideous agenda behind them and won't be any different than the aforementioned amendment.
Very vivid examples of democracy turned sour are very fresh in our minds. If we look at the bigger picture here, Africa has languished in Undemocratic processes for long. If I may borrow a quote from Jiddu Krishnamurti "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Whereas I assent to the idea that, "politics are a matter of destiny and simply not mere change of office", I also believe that the destiny of a country must be steered through democracy which is free of manipulation.
This article on URL: http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/PeoplePower/How-to-stop-scheme-to-remove-age-limit/689844-4016774-maq4g1z/index.html by a former president of FDC party and presidential candidate - Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye on, "How to stop scheme to remove age limit" is invaluable and speaks to a rather heavy atmosphere this envisaged constitutional amendment has come with. He elucidates his concept that, "The struggle of the people of Uganda since Independence, therefore, has been to regain power and control over the country and to subordinate armed forces." A very compelling and yet inescapable phenomenon which drives his point home is that Uganda has at least, not had a peaceful transition of power since her independence 1962. "Since power resides in the coercive forces, all changes of Uganda’s leaders have been mediated by force/ violence." If indeed power belonged to the people, such wouldn't happen. The Ultimate gift the Ugandan 10th Parliament can offer the country is to ensure that the age limit of presidency is upheld lest we become a Zimbabwe of another kind.
Uganda belongs to us all, if we accept to trade our conscience for corruption, what legacy shall be remembered of us. I will reiterate a popular statement that, Power Corrupts...even in a highly democratized institution. Therefore, it is erroneous to believe that benevolence can overcome power temptations and I personally believe that such thinking is in one way or the other, an insult on our own intellect. History has proven from time to time that, such is true and I believe that its all around us, for no ones needs to take a course to appreciate this, at least in not Africa, East Africa and later on our mother land itself.
The 10th Parliament of Uganda has through COSASE and Ugandan Media Houses raised awareness as regards unconstitutional events in our country in a far reaching manner, it's a rather commendable done well. The time has now come for the 10th Parliament to transcend money and diligently listen to what Ugandans are saying...so that their conscience is clear even as they contemplate on deliberating this issue ahead of time. Our conscience must not be sung to sleep by whims of selfish leaders, Our children and generations to come must be handed a democracy on which they can build their lives. Though a crescendo of hope seems waning, I pray that moral judgement and justice will prevail.
