Ugandan President Museveni Scraps 75-Year Age Cap on Presidential Candidates

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed into law Tuesday a bill that scraps a 75-year age cap for presidential candidates.

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The move will allow the 73-year old leader to run for a sixth term in 2021.

Museveni spoke of the bill in his year-end address Sunday, saying he saluted those members of parliament that supported the change.

The Ugandan parliament had passed the bill on December 20, with 317 politicians voting for it, while 97 were against it.

Parliament "enabled us to avoid the more complicated paths that would have been required. We cannot (under-cook) the destiny of Africa", said Museveni, reported Al Jazeera.

The country’s various opposition sectors have responded with anger at the move, disapproving of the fact that the president may be able to run for another term.

Museveni came to power in 1986, as a rebel army leader in the National Resistance Army, after toppling General Tito Okello, who had staged a military coup to come to power the year before.