Uganda: Parliamentary broadcast ban follows brawl

By Halima Athumani

KAMPALA, Uganda

Ugandans watching the debate over lifting the presidential age limit were dealt a blow Wednesday, after a house floor brawl resulted in a ban on live parliamentary broadcasts.

In announcing the ban, Godfrey Mutabazi, the head of Uganda’s Communications Commission, complained of “live broadcasts which are inciting the public, discriminating, stirring up hatred, [and] promoting a culture of violence."

Parliament descended into chaos on Tuesday after an opposition legislator claimed that a ruling party representative had brought a gun to the house floor.

Local media aired the brawl live as legislators threw punches and hit each other with chairs.

When Speaker Rebecca Kadaga ordered a search, no gun was found.

Emotions are running high over the bill to scrap the age cap, which would let President Yoweri Museveni -- in power since 1986 -- run for reelection in 2021, when he is older than the previous maximum age of 75.

In 2006 Museveni was able to win a third term in office after the two-term limit was abolished the previous year.

By Halima Athumani

KAMPALA, Uganda

Ugandans watching the debate over lifting the presidential age limit were dealt a blow Wednesday, after a house floor brawl resulted in a ban on live parliamentary broadcasts.

Parliament descended into chaos on Tuesday after an opposition legislator claimed that a ruling party representative had brought a gun to the house floor.

Local media aired the brawl live as legislators threw punches and hit each other with chairs.

When Speaker Rebecca Kadaga ordered a search, no gun was found.

In 2006 Museveni was able to win a third term in office after the two-term limit was abolished the previous year.