Former Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Moses Ali dies at 87

What the report says

The Independent Uganda, citing Uganda Radio Network, reported that Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali, a former deputy prime minister and veteran military and political figure, has died at 87. The report said family members at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala confirmed his death on July 18, 2026, with one daughter saying relatives were gathering there to complete arrangements before an official statement. A source in the Office of the Prime Minister also confirmed the death, and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja was expected to make the government announcement. Former minister Captain Mike Mukula separately posted a condolence message on X.

According to the report, Ali had been admitted earlier in the week, and several of his children, including some who had travelled from abroad, attended a closed family meeting at the hospital on Friday. His son Ali Siraj, the Minister of State for Works, declined to discuss his condition at the time. Funeral details were expected after statements from the family and government.

The Independent described Ali as one of Uganda’s longest-serving public figures. Born in 1939 in present-day Adjumani District, he joined the Uganda Army in the 1960s, became a senior commander and minister under Idi Amin, later went into exile, and led the Uganda National Rescue Front rebel movement in West Nile. After negotiations with President Yoweri Museveni’s government, the UNRF was integrated into the national army.

Ali later held multiple Cabinet portfolios, including disaster preparedness, tourism, youth and sports, and several deputy prime minister roles. He remained in elective politics and retained the Adjumani West parliamentary seat on the NRM ticket in 2026, though he was not reappointed to Cabinet after the elections.