Uganda introduces bill to remove presidential age limit
Fistfights erupted in parliament for the second day as MPs from the ruling party pushed for the bill to be introduced [James Akena/Reuters] Fistfights erupted in parliament for the second day as MPs from the ruling party pushed for the bill to be introduced [James Akena/Reuters]
Uganda's parliament has taken a first step towards scrapping the presidential age limit that would allow long-time leader Yoweri Museveni to stay in power, in a heated session that saw politicians brawling for a second consecutive day.
The move on Wednesday met widespread opposition from civic rights activists, opposition politicians and religious leaders.
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Under the existing constitution, a person standing for president must be under 75 years of age - which would make Museveni, 73, ineligible to stand at the next polls in 2021.
Tempers frayed in parliament for the second day over the plan, backed by members of Museveni's National Resistance Movement (NRM) party.
MPs brandished microphone stands, threw punches and clambered over benches as security officers sought to remove 25 lawmakers barred by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga after engaging in another brawl on the same issue on Tuesday.
Despite the disruption, the bill was passed after the leader of the parliamentary opposition, Winnie Kiiza of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), led a walk-out.
"We are not going to be part of Museveni's life presidency project," Kiiza said.
But supporters of the motion argued that age limits discriminate against the elderly.
"Age should not be a factor that hinders the rights and freedom of any Ugandan to vie for the post of a president," Moses Balyeku, a member of parliament, said.
Security forces arrested 19 people including opposition figure Kizza Besigye before Wednesday's parliament session [Isaac Kasamani/AFP]
Before Tuesday's parliamentary sitting got under way, police fired tear gas to disperse protests by students and opposition activists in the capital Kampala.
"Some students and other young people were causing commotion and attempting to rob shopkeepers. We engaged them with tear gas," Emirian Kayima, police spokesman, said.
READ MORE: Uganda's Museveni re-elected amid controversy
Nineteen people, including Uganda's leading opposition figure, Kizza Besigye, were also arrested. Kayima said Besigye was taken into custody after he attempted to mobilise protesters to march on parliament.
Local media reported protests against the legislative measure also broke out in other parts of Uganda.
Museveni took control of Uganda in 1986 at the head of rebel army. In 2005, he had the constitution amended to remove term limits, enabling him to stand successfully for a third, fourth and fifth consecutive term.
UN: 'Egregious' sexual violence reports emerge from Rohingya
The head of the UN's migration agency said he's "shocked and concerned" about reports of sexual and gender-based violence among new Rohingya arrivals in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
The International Organization for Migration's Director-General William Lacy Swing made the comments on Wednesday as Rohingya refugees who escaped a military crackdown in Myanmar accused the army of raping women and girls.
Myanmar's government denies the claims, but has refused to allow international observers to investigate.
IOM is coordinating the humanitarian response amid an exodus of an estimated 480,000 people who have reached Cox's Bazar since August 25.
An agency statement on Wednesday said IOM doctors have treated dozens of women who experienced "violent sexual assault" since August, but said such numbers likely represent only a "small portion" of actual cases.
Swing said such "egregious violence and abuse is underreported" even in more stable situations.
READ MORE: Myanmar: Who are the Rohingya?
"Particularly women and girls, but also men and boys, have been targeted for and are at risk of further exploitation, violence and abuse simply because of their gender, age and status in society," said Swing.
"IOM is supporting survivors but I cannot emphasize enough that attempting to understand the scale of gender-based violence through known case numbers alone is impossible."
It is estimated about 160,000 Rohingya women and young girls have arrived in Bangladesh in the past month.
Two sisters who spoke to Al Jazeera said they were raped by Myanmar soldiers.
"The military tortured us," said 25-year-old Minara, who gave only one name. "They murdered our parents. They took us to the jungle. They pushed us down on the ground."
Her sister Aziza, 22, said she was raped by two men and became unconscious.
The two sisters were rescued by other refugees who helped them cross a river into Bangladesh.
Source: News agencies
