KAMPALA – Mr. Male Mabirizi, the main petitioner against the age limit act, has vowed to continue the war against bad laws in the country.
The Supreme Court on Thursday, in 4-3 majority ruling, maintained the Constitutional Court ruling that the age limit law was passed constitutionally, effectively allowing President Museveni to rule for life.
Mr. Mabirizi said that there is a big war ahead and urged Ugandans to get ready for it.
“I have not lost. There’s a big war we’re fighting. Viewers think we’ve lost but we’ve lost a battle but the war continues,” said Mr. Mabirizi while appearing on NBS TV political talk show, Frontline on Thursday evening.
DP president Norbert Mao and FDC vice president for eastern region Salaamu Musumba praised Mabirizi’s tenacity.
“It is good we have Male Mabirizi here, we need active citizenship. Your presence here is a clear message for people not to sleep on their rights. Everyone can do something,” said Mr. Mao.
“I heard the judge lecturing you (Mabirizi) about your qualifications but to me, the highest level of qualification is citizenship. I had very low expectations. It’s about our commitment as the so-called opposition to have a peaceful process. From now, the message should be clear that none of us is planning violence. We’ve chosen a peaceful path. It is not over until it’s over. There’s a court higher than the Supreme court, the People’s Court,” he added.
Mr. Mao also urged Parliament to begin exercising Independence or else the public will take away power from the MPs.
‘As to whether parliament can redeem its image, it’s totally in their hands. If you’re to be a people’s house, stop looking at parliament as a place for the Executives. Either MPs take back parliament or we the people come and take it back.
There are certain things that can happen in an institution that can diminish or make it, parliament is a people’s house. These days, security officers even have the temerity to ask you what your work is at the parliament,” he said.
Ms. Musumba added: “Judging by the parliaments I’ve observed, the integrity of our 10th parliament is in question.
They’re duty bound to reclaim the title of honourable because right now they’re not. We only have one parliament, which is pushing us to desperately look for leadership from them.”
The Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr. Ofwono Opondo, however, chose to focus on the opposition MPs who he said made mistakes in the process leading up to the enactment of the act.
“Yes, it’s made of human beings who have the capacity to learn and unlearn. However, these faults shouldn’t be repeated.
I agree with Justice Tumwesigye and the rest of the judges who found that there was violence in parliament during the #AgeLimitBill. My expectation is that MPs will own up to their mistakes,” he said.
