ADJUMANI, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni, the Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, has officially endorsed and flagged off General Moses Ali for what his camp has declared will be the politician’s final parliamentary race.
The 86-year-old veteran leader, who also serves as the Second Deputy Prime Minister, was successfully nominated to defend the Adjumani West County seat in the upcoming general election scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Gen. Ali’s bid for the 2026–2031 term marks a high-stakes campaign for a political titan who has won every parliamentary contest in the constituency between 2001 and 2021, save for a single loss in 2006.
Nomination day opens campaign field
The formal nomination of parliamentary candidates across the Ma’di Sub-region kicked off on Wednesday, setting the stage for competitive races.
Gen. Ali arrived at the Electoral Commission offices in Adjumani District and was officially nominated by Returning Officer Akao Eunice Christine on the NRM ticket.
Following the mandatory proceedings, the General—who arrived under tight security—led a procession through Adjumani Town Council before concluding the day at his home in Abiricaku Village.
The Adjumani West race is already heating up, as the opposition’s Patrick Tandrupasi, the flag bearer for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), was also successfully nominated earlier on Wednesday.
Other significant nominations in the area include:
- The incumbent Woman Member of Parliament, Jessica Ababiku, was nominated on the NRM ticket to seek re-election.
- In Adjumani East County, incumbent MP James Mamawi entered the race as an independent candidate, setting up a contest against the NRM’s official nominee, Dulu Mark Angel.
- In Moyo District, Dr. Charles Lagu, former Executive Director of the National Animal Genetic Resources Centre, was nominated as an independent candidate for the Moyo West County seat.
Also Read: Uganda’s 86-year-old political survivor Gen Moses Ali wins NRM ticket for Adjumani West
Candidates across the sub-region are centering their early campaigns on pledges to improve infrastructure development, youth employment, and social services in their respective constituencies.
Adjumani: An NRM stronghold
Adjumani District has historically provided overwhelming support for the ruling NRM.
In the previous presidential elections, the area recorded 79,364 registered voters. Of those, President Museveni secured a commanding victory with 35,125 votes (75.67 per cent), far outpacing the runner-up, NUP candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, who received 7,866 votes (16.94 per cent).
The veteran General’s political journey
Born on April 5, 1939, Gen. Moses Ali boasts one of the most storied military and political careers in Ugandan history. After receiving advanced military training in Israel and the UK, he rapidly rose from 2nd Lieutenant in 1969 to Brigadier by 1974. His early political posts included serving as Minister of Interior and later Finance under Idi Amin.
His political trajectory has included periods of both alignment and opposition to the state. After the fall of the Amin regime, he led the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) rebel group in the 1980s.
A pivotal 1986 reconciliation with Yoweri Museveni saw his fighters integrated into the national army, earning him the rank of Major General. He was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant General in 2003 and achieved the rank of General in 2012.