Museveni confirms death of former deputy prime minister and Adjumani West lawmaker, hailing decades of military, political and regional influence

Uganda is in mourning following the death of veteran politician and former Second Deputy Prime Minister, Gen. Moses Ali, who has passed away at the age of 87.

President Yoweri Museveni announced that the long-serving Member of Parliament for Adjumani West died on Saturday at about 4:00 p.m. at Nakasero Hospital. The cause of death was not disclosed.

In a solemn tribute, Museveni described Gen. Ali as a steadfast soldier and influential statesman whose service spanned decades and helped shape Uganda’s political and military landscape.

“It is with deep sorrow that I announce the death of our brother Gen. Moses Ali. He died today at Nakasero Hospital at 1600 hours. Gen. Moses Ali has served his country for a long time, both as a soldier and a political leader,” the president said.

Born in April 1939, Moses Ali underwent military training in Israel and the United Kingdom before joining the Uganda Army in 1968. He rose through the ranks to become a four-star general in the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF).

His career intersected with some of Uganda’s most turbulent periods. He played a role in the 1971 coup that brought Idi Amin to power and later served as Minister of Provincial Administration (Interior) under Amin’s regime.

After the fall of Amin in 1979, Ali fled to Sudan, where he led the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), a rebel group active in the West Nile region. In 1986, he signed a peace deal with Museveni’s government, marking his return to national politics and public service.

From 1996 until his death, Gen. Ali represented Adjumani West in Parliament, earning recognition as one of Uganda’s longest-serving legislators and a key political figure in the West Nile region.

Museveni also highlighted his contributions to agriculture and regional development, noting that Uganda has lost a leader whose legacy of service will endure for generations.