Hundreds of ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party Members of Parliament have been thrown into panic, as their contact phone numbers are being displayed on anti-age removal digital platforms formed by groups of hitherto anonymous people.
According to a source, the NRM MPs fear to be associated with the anti-age removal groups currently sprouting out across the country that are targeted against President Yoweri Museveni running for elections in 2021, for fear of reprisal by the NRM or its agents.
The Parliament of Uganda has about 400 MPs from the ruling NRM whose chairman is is 73-year old Museveni, who is currently constitutionally barred from running for presidency because he will be over 75 years after his current term ends in 2021.
However, following the imminent tabling of constitutional amendment bills among them the one on the removal of age limit for the President, several Ugandans have expressed doubt Museveni will step down, prompting them to take to various forms of remonstration including the digital platforms like Whatsapp.
“We have received reports that some people are forming WhatsApp groups and forcefully adding MPs then harass them. The numbers of MPs were picked from our parliamentary website. Some groups include Memorial Africa, Team No Age Limits etc. When MPs quit such groups, they are forcefully added,” Chris Obore, the Communications Director of Parliament was quoted as writing in defence of the MPs.
He added: “Political agitation is good but harassment of others tantamount to intolerance. Intimidation could trigger a reaction. Hopefully the perpetrators will not cry foul when laws on cybercrimes are triggered against them by the authorities concerned.”
