Veteran Ugandan politician and former First Deputy Prime Minister Gen Moses Ali has died at the age of 87.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni announced Gen Ali's death in a statement on Saturday, noting that the veteran statesman passed away at Nakasero Hospital in Kampala.
According to Museveni, Gen Ali died at around 4:00 pm, marking the end of a public service career that spanned decades in both the military and politics. Museveni did not indicate the cause of death.
Confirming the death, Museveni described Gen Ali as a dedicated servant of Uganda who had made significant contributions as both a soldier and a political leader.
"Gen Moses Ali has provided service to his country for a long time, as a soldier and a political leader," Museveni said.
Museveni also praised Gen Ali's role in advancing commercial agriculture in the West Nile sub-region, describing him as a farmer whose work set an example for others in the area.
"We shall miss greatly his contribution. May the Almighty God rest his soul in eternal peace," Museveni said.
Ali was one of Uganda's longest-serving political figures, serving in several senior government positions over the years, including as First Deputy Prime Minister. He also represented East Moyo County in Adjumani District since 2011 and remained an influential figure in Uganda's political and security affairs.
Born on April 5, 1939, Gen Ali was one of Uganda's longest-serving political figures, with a career that moved from the military into senior government leadership.
He first rose to prominence during the rule of former President Idi Amin after taking part in the 1971 coup that removed President Milton Obote from power. During Amin's government, Ali rose through the military ranks and was appointed Minister of Finance.
His relationship with Amin later deteriorated in 1978 after the president accused him of disloyalty, corruption and mismanagement of government funds during a meeting in Kampala. Ali fled the capital for the West Nile region, where he survived an attack by armed men, before Amin later removed him from government and stripped him of his military honours.
Following the collapse of Amin's regime during the Uganda-Tanzania War of 1978-1979, Ali went into exile in South Sudan. In the 1980s, he led the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) rebel movement during the armed conflict against Obote's next administration.
After Museveni took power in 1986, Ali negotiated an agreement with the new government. His forces were integrated into the National Resistance Army, which later became the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), and he was appointed a Major General.
Ali later transitioned into politics, serving in Parliament from 2001. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 2003, but lost his parliamentary seat and ministerial appointment in 2006.
He returned to Parliament in 2011 as the representative for East Moyo County in Adjumani District and was appointed Third Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business. He later served as First Deputy Prime Minister from June 2016 to May 2021. Ali was promoted to the rank of General in the UPDF in 2012.
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