Museveni Honors Late Gen. Moses Ali in Special Parliamentary Sitting

President Yoweri Museveni has paid glowing tribute to the late General (Rtd) Moses Ali, describing the veteran politician as a freedom fighter, peacemaker, and development champion whose multi-decade contribution to Uganda will inspire generations to come.

Speaking during a solemn, special parliamentary sitting convened on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to honor the former Second Deputy Prime Minister and Adjumani West Member of Parliament, President Museveni reflected on Gen. Ali’s central role in shaping Uganda’s modern political and military history.

Gen. Moses Ali passed away on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala at the age of 87.

Prior to addressing the house, President Museveni laid a wreath on the casket of the late general in the presence of Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth, members of the bereaved family, and key government dignitaries. He also took time to personally console the family members present in the chamber.

“He Opposed Idi Amin’s Excesses” — Museveni Recalls

Addressing lawmakers, President Museveni highlighted Gen. Ali’s moral courage during the turbulent 1970s, noting that despite having participated in the 1971 military coup that brought Idi Amin to power, Ali stood up against the regime’s brutality.

“The late Gen. Moses Ali was a lover of freedom. I came to know this because although he had been with Idi Amin in the coup of 1971, I later heard that Moses Ali was not happy with Idi Amin killing people,” President Museveni stated.

The President recalled that Gen. Ali’s outspoken opposition to the extrajudicial killings and excesses of the Amin government ultimately resulted in his demotion, persecution, and forced exile into Sudan following the regime’s collapse in 1979. He added that the late statesman subsequently joined active armed efforts alongside other liberation movements to rid the country of dictatorship.

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Drawing a lighthearted comparison to his own long-standing fight against tyranny, Museveni remarked: “I was the first man in Uganda to oppose Idi Amin. I’m here, and I’m not dead.”

Three Defining Qualities: Freedom, Peace, and Development

Reflecting on Gen. Ali’s post-1980s career, President Museveni commended the late military officer for rejecting endless violence and instead choosing dialogue, reconciliation, and integration when the National Resistance Army (NRA) took power in 1986. That strategic decision, Museveni noted, helped lay a solid foundation for long-term stability across the West Nile sub-region.

The President summarized Gen. Ali’s legacy into three distinct pillars:

1. A Freedom Fighter: Standing up against state-sponsored terror and joining liberation efforts.

2. A Peacemaker: Choosing round-table negotiations over protracted guerrilla warfare to unite West Nile with the rest of Uganda.

3. A Development Champion: Pushing for key infrastructure projects, including tarmac road networks and the extension of the national electricity grid to Adjumani and neighboring districts.

Museveni urged political leaders in West Nile to honor Gen. Ali’s memory by keeping their focus on socio-economic transformation and household wealth creation, which he described as essential for lasting regional prosperity.

Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali served Uganda across military and civilian ranks for over 50 years, holding major portfolios including Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister for Disaster Preparedness, and Second Deputy Prime Minister.