Kampala, Uganda: Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LOP), Hon Joel Ssenyonyi, has urged President Museveni to honour the legacy of the late Gen Moses Ali by ending alleged abductions, closing illegal detention facilities and ensuring security agencies operate within the law.
Ssenyonyi made the remarks on Monday while delivering his tribute during Parliament’s special sitting held in honour of the former Second Deputy Prime Minister and longtime Adjumani West legislator.
Welcoming President Museveni, who attended the sitting, Ssenyonyi appealed to the Commander-in-Chief to ensure all security agencies respect the Constitution and the rule of law.
“We welcome the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who joined us earlier for this tribute session. I would like to urge him to prevail over the various security entities to observe and respect the law as they do their work,” Ssenyonyi said.
He added that the 1995 Constitution, enacted under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government, should be upheld by all state institutions. “The 1995 Constitution is a brain child of the NRM government. We need to respect that Constitution.”
Ssenyonyi said Gen Moses Ali believed in the rule of law, citing his decision to abandon armed rebellion and later serve in Uganda’s national army and government. He argued that while anyone suspected of committing an offence should be investigated, arrests and detention must comply with the law.
“Any one whether a leader or ordinary citizen can be suspected by the state to have committed an offence, but they ought to be apprehended as the law stipulates, detained in a gazetted detention facility, and produced in court within 48 hours.”
The opposition leader criticised what he described as a growing trend of prolonged detentions outside the legal framework.
“Lately, people are abducted and taken for days, weeks and even months, sometimes they are tortured, their family does not know their whereabouts, and they are not produced in court. This is not right, and we must collectively condemn it.”
Ssenyonyi’s remarks come as the National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised concerns over the detention of several of its members. Among the cases highlighted by the party is that of Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the NUP Vice President for Buganda Region and former Butambala County MP.
According to the NUP leadership, Kivumbi was arrested by armed men in Mpigi shortly after being granted bail on treason charges linked to election violence. The party has alleged that he was subsequently detained and tortured.
NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu posted on X that the party had received reports alleging Kivumbi was tortured at Kasenyi Special Forces Command barracks before being taken for medical treatment ahead of his anticipated court appearance.
By the time of publication on Tuesday, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and other security agencies had not publicly responded to the allegations cited by the NUP leader.
Reflecting on the late statesman’s legacy, Ssenyonyi described Gen Moses Ali as a leader whose decades of public service spanned some of Uganda’s most significant political transitions.
He said the veteran politician mentored several generations of leaders and deserved recognition for his institutional knowledge and contribution to nation-building despite political differences. “Public service is one of the noblest callings. It demands sacrifice, resilience and commitment. The late Moses Ali answered that call for much of his life, and for that, he deserves our respect and gratitude.”
Ssenyonyi noted that although he belonged to the opposition while Gen Moses Ali served under the NRM, he respected the late leader’s contribution to Uganda. He added that he had disagreed with Gen Moses Ali’s decision to seek re-election despite his ill health but nevertheless acknowledged his decades of service.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja described Gen Moses Ali as a resilient and dedicated public servant whose career spanned more than five decades in the military, civil service and government.
She credited him with contributing to peace, national unity, stability and Uganda’s socio-economic transformation.
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