Speaking exclusively to the Nile Post, Kakwenza expressed deep concern over Gen Ali’s health, pointing to significant cognitive decline and mental disorientation that he argues render the 86-year-old incapable of fulfilling the constitutional duties of an MP.
“I intend to bring a petition grounded in the constitutional provisions that disqualify anyone of unsound mind from holding public office,” Kakwenza said.
“General Ali demonstrates significant cognitive challenges that raise serious questions about his ability to serve.”
He cited recent widely circulated social media footage showing Gen Ali being nominated in the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries.
In the clips, the veteran politician remained seated inside his vehicle as the electoral commission chairman approached him to complete the nomination process, a scenario repeated when Ali went to collect his nomination forms.
Gen Ali had previously disclosed in 2022 that he lost his ability to speak due to health complications and received treatment in India.
Gen Ali appears to show symptoms related to focal seizures or orofacial dyskinesia, neurological conditions characterised by involuntary, jerky movements of the face, mouth, and upper limbs.
“These conditions often manifest as repetitive movements where a person appears to be speaking but produces no sound,” he explained.
Invoking Articles 50(1) and 137(3) of the Constitution, along with other relevant laws including the Parliamentary Elections Act and the Leadership Code Act, Kakwenza said the petition will seek declaratory and injunctive relief to bar Gen Ali’s nomination and candidacy.
He stressed that under Article 80(2)(f) of the Constitution, a person of unsound mind is disqualified from election as an MP, and that the Electoral Commission has a duty to reject such nominations.
“The continued nomination of a candidate who cannot actively participate in legislative functions undermines good governance and disenfranchises the people of Adjumani West, who deserve effective representation,” Kakwenza said.
"That under Section 4 and 12 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the EC has a duty to reject nominations that do not meet the qualifications stipulated under Article 80 of the Constitution."
He further urged the Electoral Commission to institute independent medical evaluations for candidates whose capacity to serve is questioned, and called for an injunction preventing Gen Ali from holding or seeking public office until certified medically fit.
Kakwenza, who was forced to flee the country after being detained twice for his novels, The Greedy Barbarian, and Banana Republic: Where Writing is a Crime, said the continued participation of an individual who is unable to independently comprehend or contribute to national legislative processes brings Parliament into disrepute, and undermines the principles of good governance, accountability and the sovereign will of the people.
"Any public official whose physical or mental condition renders them permanently incapable of performing official duties must be retired or disqualified," he said.
"Parliament is not a ceremonial body; all elected officials must be capable of performing essential functions such as debating, voting, representing constituents, and serving on committees—roles Gen Ali is demonstrably unable to fulfill."
Gen Moses Ali has had a long and distinguished career in Parliament, initially representing the larger Adjumani Constituency before the district was divided into Adjumani West and Adjumani East to better serve its growing population.
He is credited with ending anti-government insurgencies in the West Nile region after brokering a peace deal in 1986.
However, his recent health challenges have raised public debate over his political future.
Kakwenza’s petition, if filed, promises to be a landmark constitutional case addressing the intersection of health, fitness for office, and electoral integrity in Uganda’s upcoming elections.