Retired Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu, one of Uganda's most senior former military commanders, was arrested in Soroti City on Monday, November 2. The arrest was confirmed by UPDF Acting Director of Defence Public Information, Col Chris Magezi, who described Elwelu as a renegade officer who had been on the run. According to Magezi, Elwelu's arrest follows weeks of accusations that he was plotting to destabilize the Teso sub-region.
Elwelu, a former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces and Commander of the UPDF Land Forces, has been linked to a suspected network of former soldiers. The military recently recovered 15 guns allegedly linked to him, alongside military fatigues and two pickup trucks. The retired general is expected to be charged and prosecuted in courts of law, although the specific offences he will face have not been disclosed.
The arrest comes after Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, publicly accused Elwelu of treachery and alleged plans to rebel against the government. On October 27, Muhoozi announced that more than 20 former soldiers associated with Elwelu had been arrested. He also claimed to have stripped the retired general of his military ranks and reduced him to the rank of Private.
Elwelu's family has rejected the accusations against him. His wife, Patricia Apolot, previously denied that her husband was organizing an armed rebellion and disputed claims that weapons had been recovered from their home. She also complained about security deployments around the family's residences, saying the family had effectively been placed under house arrest.
Elwelu is internationally known for commanding the November 2016 military operation at the Buhikira Palace of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere in Kasese, which left more than 100 people dead. The operation attracted widespread criticism over alleged human rights violations. In May 2024, the United States imposed visa restrictions on Elwelu, citing alleged extrajudicial killings by UPDF personnel under his command.
The military has not disclosed details of the alleged operation and the evidence against Elwelu. However, the arrest marks a significant development in an escalating security operation targeting Elwelu and his former military associates. The government has not commented on the potential implications of the arrest on the security situation in the Teso sub-region.
Elwelu's arrest has sparked reactions from various stakeholders, including the Uganda Law Society, which has issued a statement on the matter. The incident has raised concerns about the security situation in the country and the role of former military commanders in politics. Key points include:
Key points
- Elwelu's arrest follows weeks of accusations that he was plotting to destabilize the Teso sub-region.
- The military has linked Elwelu to a suspected network of former soldiers and recovered 15 guns allegedly linked to him.
- Elwelu's family has rejected the accusations against him, denying claims of an armed rebellion and disputed claims of recovered weapons.
