President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday led the nation in paying tribute to Gen. (Rtd) Moses Ali, describing the former First Deputy Prime Minister as a patriot, freedom fighter and cooperative leader who played a pivotal role in restoring peace and national unity, particularly in West Nile.
Speaking during a special sitting of Parliament convened to honour the late statesman, Museveni reflected on his first meeting with Moses Ali in June 1981 in Libya, where he had travelled to seek support for the National Resistance Army (NRA) after launching the armed struggle against the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) government.
The President said he met Moses Ali and other former West Nile fighters under the patronage of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who had proposed that the various Ugandan armed groups unite into a single force. However, Museveni said they agreed to operate separately while coordinating their efforts because of Uganda’s political history.
“Moses Ali wanted cooperation,” Museveni recalled, adding that the late general later became instrumental in reconciling West Nile with the rest of Uganda after years of conflict that had forced hundreds of thousands of Ugandans to flee into neighbouring countries.
He noted that Moses Ali was among the leaders who helped transform West Nile from a region affected by instability into an integral part of a peaceful and united Uganda.
The tributes came as Parliament received the casket of the late general during a special sitting presided over by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.
In his communication to the House, Oboth described Gen. Moses Ali as “a distinguished son of Uganda, a patriot, a gallant retired general, a senior statesman and a seasoned legislator” whose service to the country spanned more than five decades.
“For over five decades, General Moses Ali stood at the forefront of Uganda’s public service. Few leaders witnessed and shaped as many defining moments in our nation’s history as he did,” the Speaker said.
Oboth noted that the late general served Uganda with distinction in the armed forces, Cabinet and Parliament, remaining committed to his duties despite advancing age and illness.
“Even as age and illness took their toll, he remained steadfast in discharging his duties. We saw him come to this House despite visible physical frailty, choosing duty over comfort and country over self,” he said.
He added that Moses Ali belonged to a generation that endured conflict, championed reconciliation and helped rebuild Uganda, saying his contribution to restoring peace and stability in West Nile would remain an enduring part of the country’s history.
Quoting an African proverb that says, “When an elder dies, a library burns,” the Speaker described the late legislator as one of Uganda’s greatest repositories of history, wisdom and public service.
Lawmakers from across the country also paid glowing tributes, remembering Moses Ali as a humble, honest and selfless leader.
Nwoya District Woman MP Christine Lanyero Awany described him as “a man for all seasons” who treated everyone with respect regardless of religion, tribe or social standing.
She recalled how, after the South Sudan peace agreement, the late general personally visited her office to request transport services for his trucks instead of asking her to go to him.
“Moses Ali’s name must never appear in corruption in Uganda. That is something we as Ugandans should always remember him for. He was not corrupt,” Awany said.
She proposed that leaders from Northern Uganda establish a memorial centre in his honour to preserve his legacy.
Madi Okollo District Woman MP Joanne Aniku Okia described Moses Ali as the patriarch of West Nile who tirelessly championed the region’s development and interests.
She used the occasion to renew calls on the government to fulfil President Museveni’s pledge of granting West Nile full regional status.
“We would have wished that General Moses Ali had been around to continue championing this cause, but we ask His Excellency the President to remember the promise made to the people of West Nile,” she said.
Bubulo East MP John Musira credited the late general with preserving Uganda’s unity during a period when separatist sentiments had emerged in West Nile.
He said Moses Ali consistently urged the people of the region to remain part of one Uganda despite political differences.
“He told the people that we may quarrel and fight, but we must remain one Uganda. He died as a hero and a unifier,” Musira said.
In one of the lasting tributes announced during the sitting, Kakuuto County MP Kaka Ismail Lubega Uthman pledged to drill a borehole in Adjumani District in memory of Gen. Moses Ali, saying it would serve as a permanent reminder of the late statesman’s contribution to Uganda.
Gen. Moses Ali served Uganda in various capacities, including as a teacher, freedom fighter, military officer, Cabinet minister, First Deputy Prime Minister and long-serving Member of Parliament for Adjumani West.
As Parliament bade farewell to one of the country’s longest-serving leaders, speakers across the House agreed that his legacy of patriotism, integrity, reconciliation and national unity would continue to inspire generations of Ugandans.
