Ugandan Students Defy Protest Ban Ahead of Presidential Age-Limit Debate

Ugandan police made several arrests at a student march against the lifting of the age restrictions on the president’s office on Thursday, September 21.

Makerere University students set out to march to the parliament in Kampala, defying a protest ban ahead of the parliamentary debate on Thursday. Uganda’s main opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change, also petitioned the Speaker of the House against the constitutional amendment that would see the scrapping of the 75-year upper age limit for holders of the president’s office.

The US embassy in Uganda said it was “deeply concerned” about authorities’ moves to stifle freedom of expression and assembly on Thursday. The previous day police raided the offices of NGO Action Aid, which has been critical of the age limit removal.

An eyewitness captured footage of students setting off on their march before they were intercepted by police. Credit: Anonymous via Storyful