18/01/2026
AFRICA: Veteran Ugandan leader Gen. Moses Ali, 86, re-elected as an MP
Ugandan politician General Moses Ali, the 86-year-old First Deputy Prime Minister and long-serving politician, has successfully retained his parliamentary seat as the Member of Parliament for Adjumani West Constituency in Uganda’s 2026 general elections.
Contesting on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, Ali defeated three challengers to secure another term in the legislature.
According to results released by the Adjumani District Electoral Commission registrar, Christine Acai, Ali garnered 12,854 votes, narrowly outpacing his closest rival, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Patrick Tandrupasi, who received 11,770 votes. Independent candidate Gasper Draga and National Unity Platform (NUP) contender Stephen Lyo trailed with 522 and 293 votes respectively.
A veteran of both Uganda’s military and political arenas, Gen. Ali has held high-profile posts including Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament. First elected more than two decades ago, he has been a dominant figure in the West Nile region.
Ali’s campaign focused on local development pledges, such as building the Laropi bridge over the Nile, upgrading health facilities, improving rural water and electricity access, and tarmacking key roads.
His re-election comes amid public debate over leadership renewal in Ugandan politics. Activists previously petitioned the Constitutional Court to block his nomination, citing concerns about his advanced age and frail health, though those challenges did not prevent his participation or victory.
Supporters say Ali’s decades of service and grassroots popularity underpin his continued mandate from the people of Adjumani West.