By Eye Media | Kampala | July 19, 2026
Uganda’s Ambassador to Russia and former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Hon. Moses Kizige, has described the late Gen. (Rtd.) Rt. Hon. Dr. Moses Ali as a generous, God-fearing leader whose friendship and mentorship transformed his life and political career.
In an emotional tribute following the passing of the veteran statesman, Kizige said he had lost not only a friend but also a mentor and comrade with whom he shared more than three decades of service.
“I have lost a friend, a mentor and comrade in the struggle. We hope to meet you there in glory,” he said.
Kizige recalled that he first worked with Gen. Moses Ali in 1992 when he was only 29 years old. Their offices were next to each other at Impala House, alongside Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho, commonly known as Salim Saleh.
He said their friendship extended beyond government service into sports administration. In 1993, he supported Moses Ali’s election as President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), while he himself was elected the federation’s National Treasurer.
Kizige recounted travelling with the late Moses Ali to Cairo, Egypt, and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to negotiate the lifting of sanctions imposed on Uganda by FIFA after SC Villa failed to honour a CAF Champions League return fixture.
He revealed that during the trip to Cairo, Gen. Moses Ali quietly excused himself for what he described as a private engagement. It was only after returning to Uganda that Kizige learnt he had travelled to Libya for a meeting with the late Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi.
According to Kizige, a few days later President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also travelled to Libya, and upon his return appointed Moses Ali Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.
Among the memories Kizige cherishes most was a visit by Moses Ali to his home village of Nabirumba in 1994 to commission a classroom block constructed under the ActionAid/PAPSCA programme.
During the event, Gen. Moses Ali wrote on a classroom blackboard: “I pray to Allah that one day this young man, Moses Kizige, will become a minister.”
Kizige said the words remained with him for years until they came true 22 years later when he was appointed Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs.
“He was a very generous individual and God-fearing,” Kizige said, adding that he had visited the late leader several times at his Asia Farm in Adjumani District.
He also reflected on the period between 2016 and 2021 when their offices at the Office of the Prime Minister were adjacent to each other.
At the time, Gen. Moses Ali was pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the Law Development Centre (LDC). Kizige said the former Deputy Prime Minister often preferred working from his office because it had a faster internet connection, a newer desktop computer and a modern colour printer.
“I would leave my office for him and move to Hon. Mary Karooro Okurut’s office to do my work,” he recalled.
Kizige said the late Moses Ali’s humility, generosity and unwavering faith left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of working with him.
Gen. (Rtd.) Rt. Hon. Dr. Moses Ali passed away on July 19, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of military service, political leadership and national development that spanned decades. He will be accorded an official burial in recognition of his distinguished service to Uganda.
