A committee of lawyers has been formulated to begin a process to scrutinize a proposal seeking to extend the elective term of office from five to seven years.
The committee was formulated at the NRM caucus convened by President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala on Tuesday. The Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa would later tell us that the issue of the seven year term was a major discussion during the meeting.
According to Nankabirwa, a committee of lawyers from within the party was set up to discuss the legalities and technicalities around the proposal of the seven year term before a harmonized position is reached.
Members on the committee include; Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana, Defence Minister Adolf Mwesige, Security Minister Henry Tumukunde and Planning Minister David Bahati among others.
The move to extend the term of elective offices from five to seven years came to the limelight early this month when Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga disclosed his plans to table a Private Member's Bill that seeks to extend the term of all elective offices.
According to Abiriga, the current five years are not adequate for an elected leader to implement his/her programmes, pledges or projects.
Last week, President Museveni supported the proposal while meeting members of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to discuss the Raphael Magyezi bill that seeks to remove presidential age limits.
Museveni said that the leaders in Africa have much more to do and need adequate time to develop the continent.
"For these countries with all these problems, two terms of five years is just a joke. Those who talk about this are just looking at improving their CVs. We might not discuss it now but there is merit at looking at the seven years. It would give some time to these young countries to develop. France has seven-year terms, I do not see what they have lost," said Museveni.
Meanwhile, Nankabirwa also said that the Caucus meeting resolved to have the controversial 'Age Limit' Bill, which seeks to among others amend Article 102(b) that caps the Presidential age limits between 35 and 75 years, to be handled by Parliament before Christmas.
She also said that voting on the Bill will be by roll call and tally as stipulated in the Parliament Rules of Procedure. Parliament is expected to start debate on the Constitution (Amendment) (No.2) Bill, 2017 tomorrow afternoon after the Bill today appeared on the business to follow.
