Petition filed in Ugandan court to nullify Gen Moses Ali’s nomination over age, health concerns
The petitioners contend that Ali's nomination is unconstitutional, given his advanced age and apparent physical frailty, which they maintain make him unfit to effectively represent the people of Adjumani West.
A petition has been filed before Uganda's Constitutional Court seeking to nullify the nomination of retired General Moses Ali, 86, as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate for Adjumani West Constituency, with petitioners arguing that his age, poor health and physical condition make him unfit to contest.
The case was lodged on Tuesday by exiled writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija and rights activist Ssuuna James Kiggala, who, through their lawyers, named the NRM, the Electoral Commission, Uganda's Attorney General and Ali as respondents.
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The Ugandan Electoral Commission formally cleared Ali, who also serves as the Second Deputy Prime Minister and deputy leader of government business in Parliament, as the NRM candidate for Adjumani West on October 22, 2025, following his earlier endorsement by the party in June, which declared him the winner of the district's primaries with 8,609 votes.
The petitioners contend that Ali's nomination is unconstitutional, given his advanced age and apparent physical frailty, which they maintain make him unfit to effectively represent the people of Adjumani West.
According to the petitioners, during his nomination in June, Ali remained seated in his car, reportedly due to health complications.
"The idea and spectacle of nominating the 1st Respondent (Gen Ali) was an embarrassing and unconstitutional act," the petition reads in part, according to The Monitor.
"The visibly frail, weak and barely audible 1st Respondent could not speak, write, move unaided or do anything that would normally be required of a Member of Parliament."
Further, the petitioners faulted the country's electoral commission and Attorney General for failing to uphold the constitution and facilitating the nomination of a candidate they claim is unfit to effectively carry out parliamentary duties.
"The continued approval or facilitation of the 1st respondent's candidacy by the 3rd and 4th respondents violates the constitutional duty to organise and ensure free and fair elections," the petition maintained.
"The people of Adjumani West and other Ugandans are entitled to effective, accountable and meaningful representation in governance, not symbolic representation."
The petitioners are now asking the Constitutional Court to rule that Ali's nomination and possible service as MP violate several provisions of Uganda's constitution.
They also want Parliament and the Electoral Commission to set minimum physical fitness requirements for all elective positions to safeguard the credibility of public institutions.
Additionally, they want Ali's nomination to be nullified, his assumption of office blocked, and a fresh election ordered in Adjumani West Constituency.
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