Retired Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu was allegedly planning to assassinate Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, and use his death as a path to taking power in Uganda, according to claims made by journalist Andrew Mwenda.
On Thursday, October 29, 2026, said people he described as members of a militia recruited by Elwelu had reported that the retired general intended to kill Muhoozi as part of a plan to take control of the country.
“The militia he had recruited have said that in a briefing to them, he said he kills Gen Muhoozi he would be able to take over Uganda,” Mwenda said.
He added: “Private [a rank that Muhoozi announced he was demoting Elwelu to] Elwelu was planning to kill the CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba.”
The allegations, which have not been independently verified, add a new dimension to the unfolding controversy surrounding Elwelu, a former senior commander in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) whose whereabouts have become a subject of public speculation.
Mwenda also claimed that the former general was hiding in eastern Uganda, saying: “Now he is hiding in the swamps of Teso.”
The claims raise questions about the nature of the alleged recruitment, the evidence behind the accusations and whether security agencies have independently established that Elwelu was preparing an armed challenge to the government.
Allegations of a planned rebellion
The latest statements followed another accusation by Mwenda on Tuesday, October 27, when he alleged that Elwelu had used his Christian beliefs and religious activities to conceal plans for an uprising against the state.
“Private Elwelu had been hiding behind Christian fundamentalism to disguise his plans for a rebellion against the state,” Mwenda said.
He added: “Now he is on the run, and Christ won’t protect him from his plots to violently destabilize Uganda.”
Mwenda did not publicly provide supporting documents or other independently verifiable evidence alongside the statements. It was also not immediately clear whether the alleged militia members had made formal statements to investigators, whether their accounts had been corroborated or whether any evidence of a specific assassination plot had been presented.
Elwelu’s military background
Elwelu is a retired senior military officer who rose through the ranks of the UPDF and became one of the country’s most prominent commanders. His career included service during a period in which the military played a central role in Uganda’s internal security operations.
He became widely known for his command role during the November 2016 military operation against the Rwenzururu Kingdom establishment in Kasese, which culminated in an assault on the royal palace and the arrest of King Charles Wesley Mumbere.
The operation resulted in numerous deaths, including civilians and members of the royal guard. Elwelu’s role attracted scrutiny and controversy, making him one of the most recognisable figures in Uganda’s military leadership.
He was later promoted to lieutenant general and served as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces before retiring from active military service.
His former position placed him among the senior officers with extensive experience of the military institution.
Tensions surrounding the military leadership
The accusations have emerged amid heightened public attention on the relationship between Uganda’s military leadership, political succession and the future of President Yoweri Museveni’s government.
Muhoozi, Museveni’s son, serves as Chief of Defence Forces, the highest professional military position in the UPDF. He has also become a prominent public figure through his statements on national politics and his leadership of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
Museveni has governed Uganda since 1986. Questions about succession have remained a recurring subject of political debate, particularly because Muhoozi occupies a senior military position while also maintaining a visible political profile.
However, Mwenda’s statements do not, on their own, establish that Elwelu had a workable plan to remove Museveni from power or that the alleged assassination plot formed part of an organised rebellion.
The specific claim that Elwelu intended to kill Muhoozi and subsequently take control of Uganda remains an allegation attributed to Mwenda and to accounts he says came from the alleged recruits.
Questions remain unanswered
Several important details remain unclear, including when the alleged recruitment took place, how many people were involved, whether weapons were obtained and whether the alleged plan was reported to security agencies before it was uncovered.
Mwenda’s assertion that Elwelu is hiding in the Teso sub-region has likewise not been independently established.
Any formal findings by investigators, court proceedings or an official response from the military would be important in determining whether the accusations can be substantiated.
For now, the central claim remains that Elwelu allegedly told recruits that killing Muhoozi would enable him to take power.
Meanwhile, Elwelu’s wife and driver have been arrested, as reported Here and There.
