65% NRM MPS WANT PRESIDENTIAL AGE LIMIT MAINTAINED

By  Wilber Muhwezi and Agencies

In Kampala
A survey of the 10th members of parliament and their attitudes to the
electoral reforms shows that they want serious changes to be made in
order Uganda to witness better democracy.
73%  of the MPs said they would NOT support a constitutional amendment
eliminating the age limit for presidential candidates.  The present
age limit is at 75 years.

Mr. Chrispy Kaheru-coordinator CCEDU.

The survey conducted by Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in
Uganda (CCEDU)  revealed that 65% of NRM MPS want the age limit to stay
while 35 of the NRM MPs want it removed. 97% of the opposition MPs say
the age limit should stay while 3% want it to be removed. And 81% of
the independent MPs want the age limit to stay as it is in the
constitution and 19% want it changed.
On the issue of parliamentary attitudes to reform the appointment of
the Electoral Commission, 77% stated that the selection  should follow
a process of open application, public scrutiny, by an independent
body,  parliamentary vetting and, finally presidential approval.
CCEDU partnered with the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and
USAID to conduct the survey in which 185 MPS were interviewed between
September 16th to October 7th .
CCEDU coordinator Chrispin Kaheru said they had presented similar
views in a proposal to parliament. CCEDU chairperson  Dr. Living stone
Sewanyana said the elected MPs want electoral reforms
to be implemented in order to build democracy.
Former MPs Simon Mulongo and Mathais Nsubuga called for legal reforms
in the electoral laws saying without them the President is at liberty
to make his appointment of the EC using the current laws.

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