Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali: A Statesman Who Served Uganda Until His Last Breath
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to lead national tributes, while the Office of the Prime Minister is expected to announce details of a state funeral in consultation with the family.
Retired General Moses Ali, one of Uganda’s most influential military and political leaders, has died at the age of 87 following a period of illness.
Family members confirmed that Ali passed away on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala, where he had been receiving specialized medical treatment after being transferred from the Uganda Heart Institute.
His death brings to an end a public service career that spanned more than five decades, during which he served in senior military and government positions under different administrations and became one of the country’s longest-serving cabinet ministers.
Born on April 5, 1939, in Adjumani District, Moses Ali first rose to national prominence during the 1970s. After years of political and military upheaval following the fall of the Idi Amin government, he later signed a peace agreement with President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement, leading to the integration of his Uganda National Rescue Front forces into the national army.
Ali went on to become a key figure in the NRM government, serving in several senior portfolios, including First Deputy Prime Minister, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
He also represented Adjumani West County in Parliament for many years, earning a reputation as one of Uganda’s most experienced legislators.
Throughout his political career, Ali championed development initiatives in the West Nile sub-region and advocated for national reconciliation following years of conflict.
Despite advancing age and declining health, he successfully retained his parliamentary seat in the 2026 General Election.
Leaders from across the political divide have begun paying tribute, describing Ali as a veteran statesman whose career mirrored Uganda’s modern political history.
President Yoweri Museveni is expected to lead national tributes, while the Office of the Prime Minister is expected to announce details of a state funeral in consultation with the family.
Moses Ali is survived by his children, grandchildren and extended family. Burial arrangements are expected to be announced in the coming days.
His death marks the passing of one of the last surviving figures who played significant roles in both Uganda’s military and political transitions over the past half-century.
