Adjumani, Uganda: Legendary Adjumani political icon Gen. Moses Ali has once again brushed aside the challenge of age and youthful competition to retain the NRM flag for Adjumani West County, following a decisive victory in the party primaries.
According to official results announced by Chandimale Amos, the NRM Electoral Commission Registrar for Adjumani, Gen. Moses Ali secured 8,609 votes to defeat his closest rival, Nixon Owole, the former RDC for Pakwach District, who garnered 4,492 votes.
Other contenders included Moses Kibrai, the former District Service Commission Chairperson, with 1,454 votes, and Gabriel Santos Adrawa, who trailed with 801 votes.
The veteran politician’s victory, commentators say, is both a reaffirmation of his enduring grassroots influence and a gesture of gratitude from the people of Adjumani who see him as the father of the district’s politics.
Despite his advanced age of 86, Gen. Ali’s supporters insist he remains a capable and visionary leader. “I know I am an old man, but does it disqualify me from contesting in the NRM Primary elections and representing the people of Adjumani West when you still want me in Parliament?” Gen. Ali remarked during his campaign trail, brushing aside concerns about his health and advancing years.
Having suffered ill health during his current 2021–2026 tenure, Gen. Ali entered the 2025 NRM primaries as an underdog, but steadily gained ground, even winning in parishes that had previously been considered hostile political territory.
On June 29, 2025, Gen. Ali formally wrote to NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, requesting to be exempted from the joint campaign programs due to health concerns. This exemption was granted on June 30, 2025.
While his rivals proceeded with joint rallies, Gen. Ali quietly traversed parish by parish, focusing on his message: he was alive, capable, and still willing to serve.
At each stop, Gen. Ali delivered a concise three-minute pitch: “I have come to prove to you that I am alive, can walk, and talk contrary to the propaganda spread by my opponents. When you vote me back to Parliament, I will ensure the construction of the Laropi Bridge on the Nile is completed and will continue to fight for municipality status for Adjumani Town Council.”
Since 2001, Gen. Moses Ali has maintained a near-unbroken winning streak in NRM primaries, the only exception being 2006, when he lost the general elections to former MP Santos Eruaga. However, he regained his political dominance after bouncing back in 2011.
Political observers say this latest victory positions Gen. Ali to conclude his political career on his own terms, with a smooth transition now expected in Adjumani West when he eventually exits the stage.
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