BY PAUL IBANDA
The people and leaders of Lira Municipality have rejected the proposed amendment of article 102(b) of the Constitution and told their area Member of Parliament Jimmy Akena to oppose the age limit Bill.
Akena, whose wife Betty Amongi is the Lands minister and a supporter of the amendment was told during his consultations in Lira town on Saturday to respect the position the people entrusted him with and Akena did not disappoint them. During his opening remarks, he told the meeting that he did not support the amendment, sending the leaders in wild ululation.
“We will again re-elect you,” they shouted.
Akena said the Bill in Parliament is more than Article 102(b) and argued that there should be a systematic and organized transition of power.
He said Article 102(b) was put in the Constitution to block his father Dr Apolo Milton Obote and that the article had now caught up with those who made it.
Most people who spoke during the meeting rejected the proposed amendment, except one who challenged Akena about the contradiction between his position and that of his wife.
“You are rejecting a Bill that your wife supports,” Jack Bill Okello challenged Akena, but he was booed by the majority UPC leaning councillors, religious leaders and opinion leaders.
Two NRM supporters, Jonan Okot and Jacob Ocen were denied the chance to speak as the crowd kept on singing the UPC anthem until they gave up.
Akena who was also forced to wear a red cap said his party, the Uganda People’s Congress, does not support the amendment and that he expects all the six UPC MPs to say no to the amendment.
