Museveni cleared to run for Ugandan presidency in 2021

KAMPALA, Uganda

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, was cleared Thursday by the Supreme Court to run in Uganda’s presidential elections.

The ruling by the court on the age limit petition filed by opposition members came after the constitutional court ruled the removal of the age limit by the parliament was constitutional.

Parliament amended article 102 B of Uganda Constitution last year which barred anyone older than 75 years or below 35 from entering the presidential election. The amendment allowed those older than 75 to run.

Three opposition politicians went to the Constitutional Court to challenge parliament’s amending of the Constitution to favor Museveni who would be over 75 in 2021.

In January, the Constitutional Court upheld the amendment.

The opposition politicians appealed in Supreme Court which heard the appeal in January made the ruling Thursday.

“The constitutional court's ruling is upheld. The amendment was carried out constitutionally," Chief Justice Bart Katurebe said.

Four of the seven judges agreed the amendment was lawfully carried out while three opposed it.

"I expected the delayed judgment to favor Museveni. We were waiting for dead milk," said Male Mabirizzi, one of the three petitioners.

According to Mabirizi, the judgment was supposed to be made in 60 days but it has been done after more than 90 days.

Another petitioner Elias Lukwago said, “We expected a biased ruling but at least those who will live after us will know that we tried our level best to see that age limit for presidency is put in place.''

Opposition MP Ibrahim Semujju Nganda said, “Museveni is a dictator who can not accept justice to prevail. We expected such a ruling.”