East Africa court 'to hear Museveni age limit case'

The East African Court of Justice has agreed to hear a case filed by a Ugandan lawyer on presidential age limits, The East African newspaper reports.

Lawyer Male Mabirizi Kiwanuka is accusing Uganda of violating the East Africa Community treaty on good governance and democracy by scrapping the presidential age limit of 75 years.

The opposition says this was done to open the way for President Yoweri Museveni, 73, to run for a six term in 2021.

Uganda, through the attorney general, has asked the court to dismiss the case, describing it as “frivolous and vexatious.”

President Museveni is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders. He has been in power for 34 years.

Uganda’s parliament voted overwhelmingly in December 2017 to scrap then age limit of 75 years for presidential candidates.