Health Concerns and Campaign Continuity: Gen. Moses Ali’s Bid Amid Medical Advice

ADJUMANI, UGANDA – General Moses Ali, the 86-year-old National Resistance Movement (NRM) parliamentary candidate for Adjumani West, has been advised by doctors in Germany to rest and avoid public engagements following a month-long medical treatment in Munich, according to reports.

Sources close to the General indicate that medical professionals in Germany informed his assistants and personal doctors that for him to live for more years, he should retire immediately upon returning to Uganda. This advice comes as the retired army officer, who currently serves as the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament, prepares for the January 2026 elections.

Despite being unable to speak publicly due to his current health condition, General Ali’s campaign team has continued to canvass for support and promote his key pledges. A central promise of his campaign is the establishment of a Health Centre IV in Adjumani Town to serve poorer residents—a pledge his team emphasizes is crucial after his four decades in government.

“This time, after 40 years in government, he is going to establish a Health Centre IV in Adjumani Town for poor residents,” a campaign representative stated, underscoring the candidate’s commitment to local development.

General Moses Ali is a prominent and complex figure in Uganda’s political history. A former rebel leader, he integrated into the National Resistance Movement government following the 1986 takeover by President Yoweri Museveni. His long-standing role in the cabinet is often viewed through a historical lens, with political observers noting his negotiated settlement with the NRM that secured his continuous service as a minister.

The general’s health and capacity have become a focal point in the lead-up to the January 15, 2026 elections, raising questions about the demands of parliamentary service versus personal well-being. His team’s continued campaigning in his absence highlights the high-stakes nature of the race in Adjumani West.

As of now, there has been no official statement from General Ali or his family regarding a potential withdrawal from the race in light of the medical advice. The situation presents a delicate intersection of personal health, political legacy, and electoral ambition in Uganda’s evolving political landscape.