Security forces have arrested former Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen Peter Elwelu in Soroti City, according to the army.
The arrest marks a dramatic development in the security situation in the Teso sub-region, where authorities have raised concerns about alleged activities threatening stability.
Elwelu, a former senior military commander, has been at the centre of security concerns following allegations of involvement in activities aimed at destabilising the region.
In a statement announcing the arrest, UPDF acting spokesperson Chris Magezi described Elwelu as a “renegade UPDF Officer” and said security forces had apprehended him on Monday evening.
“Breaking: Renegade UPDF Officer Peter Elwelu has this evening been arrested by the security forces in Soroti City,” Magezi said.
The army spokesperson alleged that Elwelu had been evading security agencies over his involvement in what he described as subversive activities and plans to destabilise Teso.
Magezi further said security forces had recently recovered weapons and other military-related items allegedly linked to the former army deputy chief.
“The security forces recently recovered 15 guns in his possession, military fatigues, and two pickup trucks,” he said.
The army did not immediately provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the arrest, the precise location where Elwelu was apprehended or the nature of the alleged subversive activities.
Magezi, however, said the former military commander would face criminal proceedings.
“He will be charged and prosecuted in the courts of law accordingly,” he said.
The arrest comes against the background of Elwelu’s long military career, during which he rose through the ranks to become one of the most senior officers in the UPDF.
Elwelu previously served as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, a position he held until his retirement from active military service. He also commanded the UPDF’s First Division and became widely known for his role in military operations against armed groups in eastern Uganda.
His military career included commanding the UPDF’s operation against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Rwenzori region. He led troops during the 2016 assault on the royal palace of the Rwenzururu Kingdom.
The operation, which resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and the arrest of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere, attracted significant public scrutiny and remains one of the most controversial episodes of his military career.
Elwelu was subsequently promoted through the military hierarchy, eventually becoming deputy to the Chief of Defence Forces.
His arrest now places the former senior commander at the centre of a major security investigation, with authorities alleging that he was involved in activities threatening stability in Teso.
The charges against him are yet to be formally presented in court, and the allegations announced by the army remain subject to judicial determination.
Elwelu was arrested days after the arrest of his ‘witchdoctor’. (See Details Here).
You can read about Peter Elwelu, the Butcher of Kasese and Destroyer of Satanic Shrines, who is now being humiliated Here.
