Uganda’s former Second Deputy Prime Minister and veteran politician Gen. Moses Ali has died at the age of 87.

President Yoweri Museveni announced his death in a post on X, saying the longtime Adjumani West Member of Parliament passed away at Nakasero Hospital at around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. The President did not disclose the cause of death.

Museveni paid tribute to Gen. Ali, describing him as a distinguished political leader whose contribution to Uganda’s public service spanned several decades.

From military officer to senior government official

Gen. Ali first rose to prominence as a military officer and, as a colonel, participated in the 1971 coup that brought the late President Idi Amin to power.

During Amin’s administration, he served as Minister of Provincial Administration and later as Minister of Interior.

Following the fall of Amin’s government in 1979, Gen. Ali fled to Sudan, where he became leader of the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), a rebel movement operating in the West Nile region.

Peace agreement and return to politics

In 1986, Gen. Ali signed a peace agreement with President Museveni’s government, paving the way for his return to national politics.

He was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Adjumani West in 1996 and retained the seat in subsequent elections, becoming one of Uganda’s longest-serving legislators.

Throughout his political career, Gen. Ali held several senior government positions, including serving as Second Deputy Prime Minister, and remained an influential figure in Uganda’s political landscape.

His death marks the end of a career that spanned both the military and civilian governments, leaving behind a legacy that shaped key chapters of Uganda’s modern political history.