President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has paid tribute to the late Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali, describing him as a patriot, freedom fighter, and peacemaker whose leadership shaped Uganda’s political stability and the development of the West Nile sub-region.
The President delivered his eulogy on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at Parliament ahead of a special sitting convened to honor the former First Deputy Prime Minister and long-serving MP for Adjumani West County.
Top government leaders, including Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker Jacob Oboth, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja joined the bereaved family to lay wreaths and sign the condolence book.
Addressing lawmakers, President Museveni highlighted three defining pillars of the late General's public life: his commitment to freedom, peace, and regional development.
"I was able to hear and see three elements of his contribution to Uganda," President Museveni said. "He was a lover of freedom, peacemaker, a development person."
The President recounted how Moses Ali quietly opposed the excesses and brutality of President Idi Amin’s regime in the 1970s, a stance that ultimately led to his removal from government before the fall of Kampala.
"I heard that Moses Ali was not happy with Idi Amin's power. I heard that Moses Ali was not happy with Idi Amin killing people," President Museveni stated.
Reflecting on the liberation struggle, Museveni recalled his first meeting with Moses Ali in Libya in 1981, noting that the late leader prioritized cooperation over political rivalry.
That commitment to dialogue proved critical in 1985 and 1986, when Moses Ali led the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) to peacefully withdraw as the National Resistance Army (NRA) advanced on Kampala, preventing bloodshed.
"I agreed with Moses Ali that the UNRF people... pulled out slowly," President Museveni said. "They didn't fight us when we were entering Kampala. That's how our cooperation started."
In his later years, Gen. Moses Ali dedicated his career to lobbying for infrastructural development across West Nile, successfully advocating for tarmac roads, rural electrification, and veteran compensation.
Gen. Moses Ali served Uganda for nearly six decades across multiple military and cabinet roles, leaving behind a legacy as one of the country's most experienced parliamentarians and peace builders.