General Moses Ali is a Ugandan Member of Parliament, a former military officer, and a former Deputy Prime Minister who has served under the reigns of Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni.
At 86 years old, he has bas been re-elected as Member of Parliament for Adjumani West Constituency in the 2026 general elections on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, extending his service as a lawmaker to 24 years.
General Moses Ali’s Early Life and Education
General Moses Ali was born on April 5, 1939, in the present-day Adjumani District, northern Uganda.
He began his formal education at Erepi Church of Uganda, where he completed his Primary Leaving Examination in 1957.
He later joined Church of Uganda Junior Secondary School, earning a Junior School Certificate in 1959.
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Ali then enrolled at Old Kampala Senior Secondary School in 1964, where he obtained a General Certificate of Education in 1966.
In 2003, he obtained a Certificate of Higher Education in Law from the University of Wolverhampton.
He joined Makerere University in 2003 and pursued a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), graduating in 2007.
In 2008, he earned a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre.
In 2015, he graduated with a Master of Arts in Intelligence Studies from the American Military University.
Military Career
Moses Ali joined the Uganda Army in the late 1960’s, a period when Uganda was sliding into political instability.
His military training was extensive and to international standards because he not only trained, but also studied.
In 1968, Ali underwent Officer Cadet training in Israel, followed by Paratrooper Instructors training in 1969 and a Company Commanders Course in 1970, also in Israel.
He later attended the prestigious Camberley Staff College in the United Kingdom in 1972, earning the Passed Staff College (PSC) qualification.
In 1969, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and appointed Officer in Charge of Training at the Uganda Paratrooper School.
His rise was swift. By 1971, he had been promoted to Major and appointed Commander of the Paratrooper School, and in 1972, he attained the rank of Colonel.
In 1973, he was appointed Minister of Provincial Administration (Interior) under President Idi Amin.
During this period, he received several military decorations, including the Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross, and Operational and Republic Medals.
He was promoted to Brigadier in 1974, marking the peak of his active military command during the Idi Amin era.
Decades later, in recognition of his long service, Ali was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2003 and later elevated to Four-Star General in 2012, making him one of the highest-ranking officers in Uganda’s history.
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Political Career and Government Service
After the fall of Idi Amin and years of political transition, Ali joined politics and national leadership under President Yoweri Museveni.
In 1986, he was appointed Minister of Youth, Culture, and Sports.
He was elected to the National Resistance Council (NRC) in 1989, representing East Moyo.
He went on serving in several cabinet positions, including:
- Minister of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities
- Minister of Finance
- Minister of Internal Affairs
- Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.
In 1996, he was elected Member of Parliament for East Moyo, a seat he has retained through successive elections in the Moyo-Adjumani region.
Ali has served as Second Deputy Prime Minister in multiple administrations, including:
- First Deputy Prime Minister in 2003
- Third Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2016
- Second Deputy Prime Minister from 2013 to 2016
- First Deputy Prime Minister from 2016 to 2021.
Before the 2026 Uganda General elections, he served as Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
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