KAMPALA – The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has confirmed the arrest of retired General Peter Elwelu, a former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), over alleged involvement in subversive activities and plans to destabilise the Teso sub-region.
Elwelu was reportedly arrested by security forces in Soroti City on Monday evening, November 2, 2026, according to a statement issued by UPDF spokesperson Col. Chris Magezi on his official X account.
The arrest marks a significant development involving one of the country’s former senior military commanders, who previously served as Deputy CDF in the UPDF leadership.
In the statement, Magezi described Elwelu as a renegade UPDF officer and said he had been on the run over alleged involvement in activities intended to undermine national security and destabilise the Teso sub-region.
“Renegade UPDF Officer Peter Elwelu has this evening been arrested by the security forces in Soroti City,” Magezi posted.
He added that the arrest followed security operations in which authorities had reportedly recovered 15 firearms, military uniforms and two pickup trucks allegedly linked to the former army commander.
“The security forces recently recovered 15 guns in his possession, military fatigues, and two pickup trucks,” Magezi stated.
The UPDF spokesperson said Elwelu would face prosecution, adding that he would be charged and tried in courts of law.
“He will be charged and prosecuted in the courts of law accordingly,” Magezi said.
Security investigations and alleged weapons recovery
Elwelu’s arrest follows several days of heightened security activity in the Teso sub-region, where military authorities have been pursuing allegations of an alleged plot to destabilise the government.
The developments first became public on October 27, when Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba announced on his official X account that Elwelu had been stripped of his military ranks and reduced to the rank of Private.
Gen Muhoozi also claimed that security forces had arrested more than 20 former soldiers who had previously served under Elwelu, alleging that they were cooperating with investigators.
In another post, the CDF claimed that security personnel had recovered a substantial quantity of firearms and ammunition from one of Elwelu’s residences in Teso and urged the former commander to surrender.
On October 29, Gen Muhoozi announced the arrest of Elwelu’s driver and the seizure of a vehicle allegedly used by the retired general as the search for him intensified.
The CDF also warned people against assisting the former military commander, whom he described as a fugitive.
The latest announcement by Col Magezi, however, provides the first confirmation from the UPDF spokesperson that Elwelu himself has been apprehended.
Family previously disputed allegations
The allegations against Elwelu have previously been disputed by members of his family.
Following reports of a security operation at his home in Teso, his wife, Apolot, denied that her husband was involved in rebellion activities and rejected claims that firearms and ammunition had been recovered from their residence.
She reportedly told journalists that Elwelu had travelled to Kampala for a period of prayer and had not returned home.
A relative also told the media that the former deputy army chief had gone into hiding because he feared for his life.
The conflicting accounts have placed the allegations under considerable public scrutiny, particularly regarding the circumstances surrounding the reported weapons recovery and the nature of the alleged activities.
It remains important that the allegations are subjected to proper investigation and tested through the judicial process.
Who is Gen Peter Elwelu?
Elwelu is a retired Lieutenant General who previously occupied some of the most senior positions in Uganda’s military establishment.
He served as Commander of the UPDF Land Forces before his appointment as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces in June 2021, serving under then CDF Gen Wilson Mbadi.
In March 2024, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni made changes to the UPDF’s top command, appointing Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as CDF and Lt Gen Sam Okiding as Deputy CDF, replacing the previous leadership.
Elwelu subsequently served as a senior presidential adviser on Teso and Karamoja affairs before retiring from active military service in August 2025.
His military career also attracted international attention following the November 2016 security operation at the Rwenzururu Kingdom palace in Kasese, during which more than 100 people were killed. The United States later imposed visa restrictions on him over alleged human rights violations linked to the operation.
Expected legal proceedings
With the UPDF now confirming his arrest, attention is expected to shift towards the formal charges, the evidence gathered by investigators and the legal process that will follow.
Col Magezi’s statement indicates that the military intends to have Elwelu charged and prosecuted in the courts of law.
However, the UPDF spokesperson did not specify the exact offences Elwelu will face, where he is being detained, or when he is expected to appear in court.
The arrest represents a major escalation in a developing security matter involving a former holder of one of Uganda’s highest military offices.
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