The Supreme Court will today decide President Yoweri Museveni’s fate on whether he will be eligible or not to run for presidency again in 2021 and also make decisions that may determine the conduct of the next elections.
The three appellants in this appeal are challenging the decision of the Constitutional Court which upheld the amendment of the Constitution by Parliament to remove the 75-year upper age limit on the presidency.
Article 102(b), which was amended by 317 Members of Parliament (MPs)in the House about two years ago amidst stiff resistance from the minority Opposition MPs and moderates from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party following fist-fights on the floor of Parliament, barred anyone aged above 75 years or below 35 from contesting for presidency.
President Museveni will be above 75 years in 2021.
If the Supreme Court overturns the Constitutional Court decision, he will not be eligible to contest for presidency despite his NRM top organ and MPs having endorsed him as the party’s sole candidate.
On the contrary, should the Supreme Court uphold the lower Constitutional Court’s ruling, President Museveni will be free to contest for presidency in 2021 and indefinitely thereafter.
The justices heard this appeal in January and said they would deliver the judgment on notice.
