Moses Ali is king of West Nile
BORN April 5, 1939 in West Nile, Moses Ali distinguished himself as a brave and courageous man. He joined the army at a tender age and quickly rose through the ranks. In the 1970s, ex-President Idi Amin appointed him finance minister.
By Chris Kiwawulo
BORN April 5, 1939 in West Nile, Moses Ali distinguished himself as a brave and courageous man. He joined the army at a tender age and quickly rose through the ranks. In the 1970s, ex-President Idi Amin appointed him finance minister.
When the Amin regime fell in 1979, Ali formed a rebel group, the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), to oppose the Milton Obote II regime (1980-1985).
After the National Resistance Army took power in 1986, Ali, and his fighters joined the new government. In the early days, Ali held several positions in Museveni’s government, including minister of tourism and wildlife, and minister of youth, culture and sports.
In April 1990, however, Ali was arrested on treason and terrorism charges. He underwent trial until January 1991 when he was sentenced to two-and-a half years in jail. He was released in June 1992.
After his release, Ali served as minister for internal affairs, disaster preparedness and was also a deputy prime minister (first and second deputy prime minister).
Ali, who held the rank of a brigadier for quite a long time, was in the subsequent years promoted to Major General and later Lieutenant General, a rank he holds todate.
He is thought to have been influential in securing a peace deal seven years ago between Government and a splinter group of the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF II) rebels led by Ali Bamuze. On December 24, 2002, UNRF II signed a formal ceasefire with the Ugandan Government in the town of Yumbe, North western Uganda.
In the 2006 elections, Ali, who was the NRM vice-chairperson for northern Uganda, lost his East Moyo parliamentary seat, which he had occupied from 1996, to Santos Piro Eruaga.
Ali had defeated Eruaga in the NRM primaries. But the agronomist engineer decided to stand as an independent and defeated Ali in the parliamentary elections.
However, he returned to Parliament as an ex-officio because he was appointed Minister for Disaster Preparedness and the First Deputy Prime Minister.
He was dropped from the cabinet in the May 2006 reshuffle. Ali then concentrated on pursuing his law degree at Makerere University.
After completing his degree, the 70-year-old enrolled for the nine-month bar course at the Law Development Centre to get a practising licence. He had to re-sit a paper that he failed, but he is expected to graduate this July.
Currently a serving UPDF officer at the rank of a Lieutenant General, Ali is loved in West Nile for supporting the people’s demands.
Such is the determination of the man well remembered for arresting a motorist who hit dead a monkey in Entebbe in the late 1990s.
If you have any court story that caught public attention or you would like to comment on the above story, reach the Editor on
saturday@newvision.co.ug
BORN April 5, 1939 in West Nile, Moses Ali distinguished himself as a brave and courageous man. He joined the army at a tender age and quickly rose through the ranks. In the 1970s, ex-President Idi Amin appointed him finance minister.
When the Amin regime fell in 1979, Ali formed a rebel group, the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF), to oppose the Milton Obote II regime (1980-1985).
After the National Resistance Army took power in 1986, Ali, and his fighters joined the new government. In the early days, Ali held several positions in Museveni’s government, including minister of tourism and wildlife, and minister of youth, culture and sports.
In April 1990, however, Ali was arrested on treason and terrorism charges. He underwent trial until January 1991 when he was sentenced to two-and-a half years in jail. He was released in June 1992.
After his release, Ali served as minister for internal affairs, disaster preparedness and was also a deputy prime minister (first and second deputy prime minister).
Ali, who held the rank of a brigadier for quite a long time, was in the subsequent years promoted to Major General and later Lieutenant General, a rank he holds todate.
He is thought to have been influential in securing a peace deal seven years ago between Government and a splinter group of the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF II) rebels led by Ali Bamuze. On December 24, 2002, UNRF II signed a formal ceasefire with the Ugandan Government in the town of Yumbe, North western Uganda.
In the 2006 elections, Ali, who was the NRM vice-chairperson for northern Uganda, lost his East Moyo parliamentary seat, which he had occupied from 1996, to Santos Piro Eruaga.
Ali had defeated Eruaga in the NRM primaries. But the agronomist engineer decided to stand as an independent and defeated Ali in the parliamentary elections.
However, he returned to Parliament as an ex-officio because he was appointed Minister for Disaster Preparedness and the First Deputy Prime Minister.
He was dropped from the cabinet in the May 2006 reshuffle. Ali then concentrated on pursuing his law degree at Makerere University.
After completing his degree, the 70-year-old enrolled for the nine-month bar course at the Law Development Centre to get a practising licence. He had to re-sit a paper that he failed, but he is expected to graduate this July.
Currently a serving UPDF officer at the rank of a Lieutenant General, Ali is loved in West Nile for supporting the people’s demands.
Such is the determination of the man well remembered for arresting a motorist who hit dead a monkey in Entebbe in the late 1990s.
If you have any court story that caught public attention or you would like to comment on the above story, reach the Editor on
saturday@newvision.co.ug