Members of the public and legislators have raised concerns over the heavy Military Police and regular police deployment around parliament and the city center. Military Police officers have deployed strategically at City square with armored vehicles and the precincts of Parliament.
The deployment comes amidst threats by some youth groups to storm the city center to protest the proposed scrapping of article 102(B) from the constitution, which restricts presidential age limit to between 35 and 75 years of age.
Last week, members of parliament under the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party endorsed a proposal to scrap the presidential age limits to allow president, Yoweri Museveni to seek another term of office after clocking 75-years.
On Friday last week, cabinet also backed a proposal by the Igara West MP, Raphael Magyezi to introduce a private Members Bill on the matter. On Monday, a group of youths under The Alternatives took to the streets and were dispersed by police.
The heavy deployment has drawn condemnation of legislators, saying they cannot sit back and watch the constitution being robbed of its glory.
Theodore Ssekikubo, the Lwemiyaga MP, says Police has failed to protect Ugandan from various forms of insecurities but works much towards stopping a just cause.
Monica Amoding, the Kumi Municipality MP noted with great concern the level of deployment. She says it is not good for Ugandans to be intimidated on a right cause, saying all Ugandans should rise up and defend their constitution.
Muhammad Nsereko, the Kampala Central MP, says Government is using its resources to suppress people who are fighting for a right cause. He says changing the constitution to lift the presidential age limit is going overboard.
He says they will mobilise more Ugandans to fight the removal of the presidential age limit. Emilian Kayima, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson notes that the presence of police in Kampala is not peculiar.
He says the MPs shouldn't be intimidated and should go about their business as usual. He says police can only come in when there is violence.
Asked whether the deployment is in relation to the age limit debate, Kayima said it was not. Police has summoned four legislators including Muhammad Nsereko, Barnabas Tinkasimire, Allan Ssewanyana and Theodore Ssekikubo to record statements for allegedly inciting violence.
