Washington – October 4, 2017 — In response to Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament ejecting opposition members for attempting to block efforts to repeal the Constitution’s age limit for presidential candidates, a move that would benefit 73-year old President Yoweri Museveni, Freedom House issued the following statement:
“President Museveni’s party is attempting to make him president for life by removing the presidential age limit, violating the basic principles of democracy,” said Jenai Cox, Senior Africa Program Manager at Freedom House. “The ruling National Resistance Movement undermined the country’s democracy by ordering the military to remove opposition members of Parliament and authorizing police to raid human rights organizations opposed to this change in the Constitution. Museveni is apparently determined to stay in power by changing Uganda’s fundamental law.”
Uganda is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2017, Partly Free in Freedom of the Press 2017, and Partly Free in Freedom of the Net 2016.
