Kadaga to Museveni: If I didn’t help you, you would be headed to Rwakitura

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has said that if it was not for her, President Yoweri Museveni would by now be preparing to go back to his country home in Rwakitura.

Appearing on STV’s Face to Face show hosted by Kazibwe Bashir on Monday, the Speaker said she played a big role in extending Museveni’s presidency by removing the age limit cap from the 1995 Constitution.

“Kyagwa, we did it, If it wasn’t the removal of the Age limit, President Museveni would be now preparing to go to Rwakitura,” Kadaga said.

Last week, Kadaga also asked the National Resistance Movement members to recognize her efforts in amending the Constitution in 2017 that lifted the presidential age limit, and re-elect her as the NRM 2nd national vice chairperson.

Speaking at State House Entebbe where members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) were vetting candidates who sought positions on the second-highest policy organ of the party, Kadaga said she facilitated the amendment of the Constitution under very strenuous circumstances, for which she deserves a reward.

“In very difficult circumstances, I facilitated the amendment of the Constitution under article 102 to enable continuity of the NRM ideology, but most importantly our national chairperson to continue leading the country after the end of the present term. I have demonstrated my commitment to the party throughout…I have enacted all the necessary legislation and I have been available for work in the party throughout,” Kadaga said.

In 2017, 317 MPs, mainly from NRM voted to amend the Constitution to allow President Yoweri Museveni who will be 76 in 2021 to contest for his 6th elective term as president. Prior to its amendment, article 102(b) barred anyone from contesting for the presidency unless they were between 35 and 75 years of age.

This automatically would have disqualified Museveni from contesting again. The process of amending the Constitution was so contentious that members of the presidential guards, Special Forces Command (SFC) invaded parliament and beat up MPs, who had in the past foiled a debate on the amendment by making noise eclipsing the speaker and other members in favour of the motion.