Magyezi: If Igara people refuse the bill, I will withdraw it

Written by: 
CHRISTOPHER TUSIIME

The Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi, who came to limelight for backing the removal of presidential age limit, has this morning said he will drop the bill if the people in his constituency refuse it.

“If I got to my people and they say they don’t support it [the scrapping of the age limit], I will not support it. I do respect my people,” Magyezi promised.

The controversial MP was responding to a question from Joel Ssenyonyi when he was appearing on Morning At NTV show with human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo.

Ssenyonyi asked: “If they [people of Igara] told you that, 'look we are not for the removal of age-limit, please don’t tamper with the constitution', Are you going to come and speak a different language because you are not new to changing the mind?”

In his response, Magyezi observed that changing the mind is part of a normal human process.

“You don’t have any firm ground. If today I don’t support you, it does not stop me from supporting you tomorrow,” he argued.

However, lawyer Opiyo did not believe Magyezi’s promise.

“I ask that we go together on that day when you are going to consult your people and I just listen to their response. I just want to listen and I will not do anything. What I know is that they will not allow it,” Opiyo said.

On whether his bill is meant to turn Museveni into a life president, Magyezi quickly dismissed the claim, saying it is meant to benefit all the people in Uganda who are eligible voters.

The controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 of 2017, which has now been dubbed the age limit bill, was yesterday tabled in Parliament and referred to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for scrutiny.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga implored the MPs to go back to the people and seek their views on the proposed amendments.