COURT READY FOR THE AGE LIMIT CASE RULING

By; Francis Lubega

The Constitutional Court has set July 26th as the date it will deliver the judgment of the petition that challenged the removal of the age limit cap from the constitution and increased the term of legislators from 5 to 7 years.

In the statement dated July 13^th , sent to the petitioners by the Registrar Court of Appeal it indicates  that judgment in the consolidated petitions heard in Mbale is now ready for delivery and  If no appearance is made on both the petitioners or defendants ,by law the, judgment will be delivered in their absence.

The Constitution Amendment Bill No.2 of 2017, passed by parliament in September 2017, originated from a private member’s bill tabled by Igara West MP, Raphael Magyezi, which gave for the removal of the upper age cap of 75 years and the lower age cap of 35 years for any citizen to contest for the office of presidency.

It also extended the term of office for MPs and elected local government leaders from five to seven years and reinstated presidential term limits that had been removed in 2005.

The consolidated constitutional amendment heard by a panel of Five Justices led by the deputy chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo was challenged by seven petitioners, who include; Male Kiwanuka Mabiriizi, Winnie Kiiza, the leader of opposition in parliament, Uganda Law Society, opposition chief whip Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, and four other legislators who argued that the Constitutional Court should overturn the controversial amendment on grounds that it violated the Constitution.