President Yoweri Museveni has endorsed 86-year-old General Moses Ali as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate for the Adjumani West parliamentary seat ahead of Uganda’s 2026 general elections.
The endorsement took place on Sunday, October 20, 2025, during an NRM campaign event in Adjumani District, where Museveni presented the party flag to the veteran politician.
Videos circulating online show the frail general receiving the flag from Museveni, sparking widespread debate across East Africa about the fitness of elderly leaders to continue in active politics.
General Moses Ali, Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister, has been a member of parliament since 2011 and a key figure in the ruling party for decades. A retired army general and former rebel leader, Ali is one of Uganda’s longest-serving political figures.
The NRM confirmed Ali’s candidacy earlier in July after he won the party’s primary election, defeating three challengers. Despite visible health challenges, he was previously nominated from inside his car due to weakness, his supporters in Adjumani have continued to rally behind him.
Local reports from Mulengera News and Tuko Kenya indicate that residents of Adjumani West have vowed to “reward him with votes,” citing his longstanding service and influence in the region.
Prime Business Africa reports that, the viral footage of the visibly frail general struggling to grasp the flag during the endorsement has reignited public debate about Uganda’s ageing leadership and the need for generational renewal in governance.
Moses Ali, born on April 5, 1939, has held several top government positions, including Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, and Second Deputy Prime Minister. He remains a loyal ally of President Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986 and is seeking re-election in 2026.
Critics online have questioned whether leaders of such advanced age can effectively represent their constituencies or participate actively in legislative duties. Nonetheless, within the ruling NRM, loyalty and seniority continue to weigh heavily in determining political endorsements.
The NRM’s national secretariat has yet to comment officially on the viral footage or the mounting criticism surrounding the endorsement, but party insiders say the veteran politician remains “fit enough to serve.”
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