President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has paid tribute to the late Rt. Hon. Gen (Rtd) Moses Ali, describing him as a freedom fighter, peacemaker and development champion whose contribution to Uganda’s liberation, peace and development will be remembered for generations.
The President made the remarks on Tuesday during a special sitting of Parliament convened to honour the veteran statesman, who died on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala at the age of 87.
Before addressing the House, President Museveni laid a wreath on Gen Moses Ali’s casket and offered condolences to the bereaved family. The ceremony was attended by Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth, Members of Parliament, family members and other dignitaries.
Reflecting on Gen Moses Ali’s life, President Museveni said he came to regard him as a man committed to freedom despite having initially served under former President Idi Amin following the 1971 coup.
“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,” the President said.
President Museveni noted that Gen Moses Ali’s opposition to human rights abuses under the Amin regime eventually led to his demotion and exile after the regime fell in 1979. He added that the late leader later joined efforts aimed at removing Amin from power, working alongside other liberation forces.
“I was the first man in Uganda to oppose Idi Amin. I’m here, and I’m not dead,” President Museveni said.
The President also commended Gen Moses Ali for his role in promoting peace and reconciliation during one of Uganda’s most turbulent periods, saying he consistently favoured dialogue over conflict and contributed to national stability.
Turning to development, President Museveni credited the late leader with championing infrastructure projects that transformed the West Nile sub-region, including the construction of tarmac roads, expansion of the national electricity grid and other initiatives that improved livelihoods.
He urged current leaders in West Nile to preserve Gen Moses Ali’s legacy by focusing on household wealth creation, which he described as the foundation of sustainable socio-economic transformation.
Summing up his tribute, President Museveni said Gen Moses Ali would be remembered for three defining qualities.
“I came here to tell you the positive attributes I saw in Gen Moses Ali: number one, a freedom fighter; number two, a peacemaker; and number three, a development champion,” he said.
The President extended his condolences to the family, the people of West Nile and the nation, praying for the repose of the late leader’s soul.
Gen (Rtd) Moses Ali served Uganda in both military and civilian leadership for more than five decades. He held several senior government positions, including Second Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for Adjumani West County, and was widely recognised for his contribution to public service, national unity and the development of the West Nile region.
