GULU -The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Ms Betty Aol Ochan, has said President Museveni can only be kicked out of power through a popular uprising.
Ms Aol, who is also Woman Member of Parliament for Gulu District, said following the supreme court ruling which upheld the lifting of the presidential age limit from the Constitution, Ugandans should know that even elections cannot remove Museveni.
“We all need to confidently prepare for this uprising. It is a struggle and entire population should be supportive because the spirit of removing age limit was in bad faith and it was selfishly motivated by President Museveni,” Ms Aol said during Easter Sunday prayers at Paicho Primary School in Gulu district.
She emphasized that the removal of the presidential age limits shows that Mr Museveni intends to rule Uganda for life yet Ugandans will remain in poverty and unemployment.
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament urged Ugandans to summon the courage of other countries such as Sudan and Algeria that have kicked out dictators.
“It will only require brevity to achieve this, it is our time again to achieve this transition through peaceful uprising. If all these other African countries succeeded in their uprising without a gun at hand, why should we cowardice?” she asked.
“This shows a glaring problem and I am very sure that the 2021 elections will be meaningless but to rise against him because that is the only non-violent power that the citizens are left with,” she added.
Last Thursday, the Supreme Court in a 4:3 majority ruling, maintained the Constitutional Court ruling that stayed the Constitutional Amendment Act which removed the presidential age limit.
Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana declared the verdict “a big win for Uganda”.
“On behalf of myself and all the people of Uganda, I am highly indebted. This was the most reasoned judgment, well balanced. Their lordships expressed their views and we respect all the views and at the end of the day, we are extremely happy that justice has been done. I want to congratulate the people of Uganda and I want to congratulate the members of the NRM,” he said.
But a lawyer for the petitioners, Erias Lukwago, said “it is democracy that suffers”.
“It is a disappointment, but in Africa it is a miracle to win (against) a sitting government,” he said.
Observers had expected a ruling in Museveni’s favour, but the narrow margin came as a surprise.
“The ruling was so close. Museveni will take a lesson from it,” said Kassim Male Mabirizi, an activist from the Uganda Law Society and one of the main petitioners.
