'DON'T COME TO MY FUNERAL!' Furious Ali's Last Warning to Gen.Saleh Before Death Revealed

A deeply personal message from the late Gen. Moses Ali to Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho, popularly known as Salim Saleh, has emerged, revealing that the veteran politician once warned Saleh not to attend his burial unless former Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF I) fighters received the benefits they had long been promised.

The revelation was made during Gen. Moses Ali’s burial on Wednesday in Adjumani through a message delivered on Saleh’s behalf by former intelligence chief and ambassador Phillip Idro.

According to Saleh, Moses Ali had directly confronted him over the welfare of former UNRF combatants, insisting that their long-standing grievances be resolved before his death.

“General Saleh, if you don’t pay off my soldiers and their debts, if I die, don’t come to bury me,” Saleh quoted Moses Ali as saying.

The statement underscored the late general’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of the men who fought alongside him during the West Nile rebellion.

Saleh disclosed that the government eventually fulfilled the commitment before Moses Ali passed away.

“On September 5, 2025, I was able to visit Adjumani because we had settled that obligation. It was a visit that brought me peace, and I believe it brought him reassurance,” the statement read.

According to Saleh, although the verification exercise for beneficiaries is still ongoing, the money earmarked for former UNRF soldiers has already been secured by government.

He explained that any remaining delays in payment are now being caused by the verification process rather than a lack of government commitment.

During the ceremony, Phillip Idro also displayed copies of letters written by Moses Ali to President Yoweri Museveni and Saleh, documenting unresolved concerns affecting former UNRF fighters and the wider West Nile region.

The correspondence highlighted issues including compensation for ex-combatants, resettlement support, payment for frozen bank accounts, road infrastructure and electricity development in the region.

The emotional disclosure offered mourners a rare glimpse into the final conversations between two of Uganda’s most influential military figures and illustrated how deeply Moses Ali remained committed to the welfare of his former soldiers until his last days.

Gen. Moses Ali, who died last week aged 87, served as leader of the Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF I) before signing a peace agreement with President Museveni’s National Resistance Army government. He later served Uganda for decades in senior government positions, including as Second Deputy Prime Minister.