Protesters in Lira have given police a field day protesting in town against the proposed scrapping of the presidential age limit from the constitution.
Dozens of protesters took to the streets in Lira town at 8am this morning donning black t-shirts with the inscription "New Uganda" to denounce a move by some legislators to delete article 102 (b) of the constitution, which limits the president's age to between 35 and 75 years.
They carried a coffin and blew whistles. They stationed at the Obote Avenue and Oyam road junction near Lira Main Market, a few meters from a police post where they lit a huge fire.
They displayed several placards with various messages addressed to members of parliament and the public. "Hon. Felix Okot Ogong is our hero", read one of the placards.
"Removal of presidential age limit is the end of our country", warned another. "Our country is not your bathroom," declared another. The protesters chanted slogans, saying "we want change" "we want change" drawing a huge crowd of people who joined the demonstration.
The demo paralysed traffic for more than 30 minutes until anti-Riot Police personnel led by the Lira District Police Commander; Joel Tubanone arrived and dispersed the protesters.
As police beefed up deployment on major streets and the outskirts of Lira town, another group emerged from Juba road between Total Pump Fuel Station and Aduku road roundabout where they lit fire using old tyres before police rushed and put it off.
By press time, none had been picked up by police in connection to the protest.
