Democratic Party (DP) President Norbert Mao has been arrested while on his way to the City Square after launching the Togikwatako campaign, aimed at denouncing any amendment to the Constitution to remove the age limit cap that stands at 75 years.

Mao has been arrested together with other DP members including the party’s Secretary General Dr. Gerald Siranda, Amama Mbabazi’s former spokesperson Moses Bigirwa and the mayor of Mukono Ronald Kagimu. The MP for Kalungu West Joseph Sewungu walked to Central Police Station, Kampala, where those arrested were taken.

The Togikwatako campaign is aimed at stopping any changes to Article 102 (b) that sets the maximum age for one competing for presidency at 75 years.

Mao invited all Ugandans, political parties to join the campaign including the police claiming that they are also Ugandan and needs the salaries incremented and improvement of their welfare.

Earlier, while addressing members of the press at DP headquarters, Mao said President Museveni keeps changing his position on matters of Uganda’s presidency.

“Museveni said he wanted to rule for two years after 1986, later he said I must test the drive of the rule of law, after the formation of multiparty he said I must test the drive of multi-party politics, then after the formation of the 1995 Constitution that agitated to rule for two terms, in 2006 he initiated the removal of term limits, now he wants age limit lifted therefore we must stop this impunity,” he said.

“This is the time to break the silence against Museveni’s regime and we are going to mobilize the public through sensitizations, outreaches to protect the future of our children,” Mao said before his arrest.

According to Mao, the DP is going to petition MPs and local councils and then issue a voters book where protagonists against lifting of the presidential age limit will sign, with the aim of ensuring those who support the removal are defeated at elections.

“We must vaccinate that move before the disease attacks us,” Mao said adding that: “you cannot vaccinate a sick person or animals rather do it to prevent the sickness.”

Meanwhile, in a related development President Museveni yesterday rubbished those debating Article 102 (b), saying they are idlers who have nothing to do.

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The Minister of Tourism, Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu has warned speculators over the allegations that Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo commonly known as Speke Resort Munyonyo was up for sell by government.

The minister made remarks at State House where, the tourism sector had taken investor to meet President Yoweri Museveni.

“Government warns speculators against takeover of Speke Resort. There is no such move; the public should separate Crane bank from the resort.  Prof. Kamuntu said. Adding “Much as there is a crisis over Crane bank, government will protect the hotel to avoid disruption of hospitality”

Section of the media has been awash with stories how government had taken over Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo over the allegations that the facility which is owned by Sudhir Ruparelia was up for grabs by government over the Crane Bank saga.

Recently Bank of Uganda dragged Crane bank majority share owner Sudhir to court claiming that he had encouraged in house lending which led to the collapse of the bank.

However, majority of the population have turned against BoU for failure to regulate the third largest bank in the country. Many say BoU failed in its obligation in performing its duties.

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President Yoweri Museveni has castigated Ugandans debating the removal of age limit, saying they are idlers who lack what to do.

“Those debating age limit, what are you debating? Who has brought that proposal? Don’t waste time with people who don’t have what to do,” Mr. Museveni was quoted as saying while addressing a press conference at State House, Entebbe.

Interestingly, the President’s counsel came in the wake of an earlier meeting held at Kati Kati Restaurant today, convened by National Resistance Movement (NRM) party stalwarts David Mafabi, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs; and MPs Simeo Nsubuga and Colonel (rtd) Fred Mwesigye of Kassanda South and Nyabushozi, respectively.

In its deliberations the group urged the NRM party leadership to mobilise members and to initiate ‘consultations’ on a number of issues including ‘whether or not any Ugandan who is 18 years and above should be disqualified from being President of the Republic of Uganda; whether or not term limits should be simultaneously restored and, whether or not a second Chamber of Parliament should be created’.

By press time it was not possible to establish whether the party had sanctioned the Kati Kati meeting.

Meanwhile, the removal of the age limit cap has generated heightened public debate, with sections of Ugandans taking to social media to argue for or against the idea.

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Opposition Chief Whip Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has protested the proposal to have the Prime Minister’s Question Time changed from Wednesday to Thursday, warning President Yoweri Museveni against casually handling state affairs.

Ssemujju’s remarks followed a proposal tabled on the floor of Parliament by Ruth Nankabirwa, the Government Chief Whip, to change the Prime Minister’s question time from Wednesday to Thursday.

“The Head of State chose Wednesday to be Cabinet Day and when we sit in Entebbe, we find it very difficult to catch up with Parliament yet we want the Prime Minister to be here on time to answer questions. So, it is a humble request that we change from Wednesday to Thursday so that the Prime Minister can be here,” Nankabirwa said.

But Ssemujju dubbed Nankabirwa’s request as ‘ridicule to Parliament’ and wondered why President Museveni ‘is afraid of sitting in his office at Twin Towers’, but “keeps on holding cabinet meetings at his residence in Rwakitura and State House-Entebbe.”

Further, Ssemujju wondered if Parliament business would come to a standstill if Museveni woke up one day and demanded to have cabinet meetings be held at his country home in Rwakitura.

“Why doesn’t the President want to sit in President’s Office to execute work (of the President’s Office), he even has offices here. This is a casual way of handling state matters that you take them to your residence all the time,” The Kira Municipality MP said.

Ssemujju added: “Now, instead of going to his residence to rest, he is taking there cabinet meetings. I want to invite this Parliament to reject the justification.”

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) member pleaded with MPs to reject the justification fronted by Government, warning that approval of the proposal based on Nankabirwa’s assertions would be tantamount to Parliament is institutionalizing the residence of the President as an office.

“I was looking at the practical bit of it; the Chief Whip saying they delay there, sometimes the meetings take long. But to come here and tell Parliament to institutionalize the residence of the President as sitting place of cabinet; we have a cabinet library here where meetings have been historically taking,” Ssemujju charged.

He demanded to have the Government Chief Whip withdraw the particular justification, terming it a ridicule to Parliament and asking MPs to deal with the matter on its own merit.

But when the question was put across, the MPs voted to have the Rules and Procedures amended, paying a deaf ear to Ssemujju’s arguments.

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