James Leku Pilli Sworn in as MP for Adjumani West, Succeeding the Late Gen. Moses Ali

James Leku Pilli has been sworn in as the new Member of Parliament for Adjumani West County, marking his entry into the 12th Parliament. He takes over the seat previously held by the late General (Rtd) Moses Ali, bringing the total number of elected legislators to 529, in addition to 24 ex-officio members.

Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth welcomed Honourable Leku to the parliamentary chambers, presenting him with copies of the Ugandan Constitution and the Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. Leku, representing the National Resistance Movement (NRM), emerged victorious in the by-election held on September 17, 2026, securing 12,423 votes against his sole independent opponent, Draga Gasper, who garnered 2,559 votes.

Prior to his parliamentary role, Leku served as the Local Government Chairperson for Adjumani District. In his inaugural address, he pledged to continue the development projects initiated by his predecessor. These key projects include the construction of a bridge across the River Nile connecting to Moyo district and South Sudan, as well as improving the road network from Yumbe district through Obongi and Adjumani to South Sudan.

The Speaker commended Leku for his proactive approach, noting that he was the first legislator in the 12th Parliament to deliver a speech on the same day he took his oath. The State Minister for Transport, Julius Maganda, confirmed that funding has been secured for the bridge project and assured Leku of government support in community engagement to facilitate the contractor’s work.

Honourable Leku’s predecessor, the late Gen. Moses Ali, had a long and distinguished career, serving as the MP for East Moyo County from 1994 to 2016 and holding several ministerial positions, including those for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees; Internal Affairs; and Tourism, Trade and Industry.

Source: https://www.howwe.ug/news/national/43774/mp-leku-replaces-late-gen.-moses-ali-in-house