Gen. Moses Ali dies at 87
Gen. Moses Ali dies at 87
KAMPALA, Uganda – Uganda’s Former Second Deputy Prime Minister and veteran statesman, Gen. Moses Ali, has died at the age of 87, President Yoweri Museveni has announced.
In a statement released on Saturday, President Museveni said Gen. Ali died at Nakasero Hospital at 4:00 p.m., describing him as a dedicated soldier, political leader, and patriot whose decades of public service helped shape Uganda’s political and security 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,” President Museveni said.
The President praised Gen. Ali for his long service to Uganda both as a soldier and a political leader.
“Gen. Moses Ali has provided service to his country for a long time, as a soldier and a political leader. In the West Nile region, he provided the good example of being a big modern farmer. We shall miss greatly his contribution. May the Almighty God rest his soul in eternal peace,” Museveni added.
Gen. Moses Ali leaves behind one of the longest and most distinguished careers in Uganda’s public service.
Born on April 5, 1939, in Meliaderi Village, present-day Adjumani District, he joined the Uganda Army in the 1960s and steadily rose through the military ranks.
For over five decades, he served under successive governments, led a rebel movement during one of Uganda’s most turbulent periods, later negotiated peace, and eventually returned to national politics, where he became one of the country’s longest-serving Cabinet ministers.
His political journey reflected Uganda’s changing political landscape, making him one of the few leaders to remain influential across different administrations.
At the time of his death, Gen. Moses Ali was serving as the representative of Adjumani West Constituency in Parliament and had previously held several senior ministerial positions, including portfolios in Ministry of Sports among others.
Throughout his career, he was regarded as one of the most influential political leaders from the West Nile sub-region, where he remained a respected figure.
Beyond his military and political career, Gen. Ali was widely recognised for promoting commercial agriculture.
President Museveni described him as a model farmer whose investments in modern farming demonstrated the government’s message of wealth creation through agriculture.
His farming projects in West Nile were often cited as examples of successful commercial farming in the region.
Following the announcement of his death, tributes are expected from government officials, opposition leaders, military officers, religious leaders, and citizens who worked with him during his long career in public service.
Government is expected to announce the official funeral programme and burial arrangements in consultation with the family.
Gen. Moses Ali’s life mirrored many of the defining moments in Uganda’s post-independence history.
From his early years in the army to his leadership in government and Parliament, he remained one of Uganda’s most recognisable political and military figures.
His death marks the end of a public career that spanned more than half a century and leaves a significant chapter in Uganda’s political history.
