Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced the demotion of former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Peter Elwelu from lieutenant general to private, while claiming that more than 20 former soldiers associated with the retired officer have been arrested.
In a series of statements, Muhoozi described Elwelu as a traitor, alleged that he had mental health problems and urged him to surrender, warning that doing so would save his life.
“The traitor Peter Elweru is hereby stripped of his ranks. He is demoted to Private,” Muhoozi declared.
The announcement, if formally implemented, would represent a dramatic reversal for an officer who rose through the ranks of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to become one of its most senior commanders.
However, no independent confirmation or official military documentation establishing the purported demotion was immediately available.
Muhoozi also claimed that security authorities had arrested more than 20 former soldiers who had served under Elwelu, saying they were cooperating with investigators.
“We have arrested over 20 of Elweru’s former soldiers. They are co-operating well,” he said.
According to the army chief, the former soldiers had made claims about Elwelu’s mental state.
“They all agree he went insane a long time ago,” Muhoozi added, without providing details of the alleged statements or identifying the soldiers.
He then issued a warning to the former general, saying: “Elweru should SURRENDER soon in order to save his own life.”
The circumstances surrounding the alleged arrests, including the identities of those detained, the grounds for their arrest and whether any charges had been filed, were not immediately established.
Muhoozi makes claims about Elwelu’s wife
In another striking allegation, Muhoozi claimed that Elwelu’s wife had also been arrested, accusing her of subjecting the former general to years of domestic abuse.
“We have also arrested Elweru’s wife who has been beating him for the last 8 years,” he said.
Muhoozi linked the allegation to Elwelu’s public appearances during his time in Parliament, adding: “That’s why he always looked confused in Parliament. Domestic abuse.”
He did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation or explain the circumstances of the purported arrest.
The claim about Elwelu’s wife could not be independently verified. It remains unclear whether she was in custody, what offence she might be suspected of committing or whether police or military authorities had issued a statement about the matter.
A history of tension between Muhoozi and Elwelu
The latest announcement comes against the backdrop of a public fallout between Muhoozi and Elwelu, who previously served as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces before being removed from the military’s top leadership in March 2024.
Elwelu was subsequently appointed Senior Presidential Adviser and continued serving as an army representative in Parliament before his scheduled retirement from the UPDF in July 2025.
The relationship between the two officers had already come under public scrutiny in December 2024, when Muhoozi threatened to arrest Elwelu and questioned his suitability to serve in the military.
“Elwelu is a buffoon! He is completely unworthy of our great Army!” Muhoozi wrote in a post on X at the time, according to contemporaneous media reports.
He also warned that Elwelu should run as fast as he could, adding that he would arrest a man he accused of hiding behind President Yoweri Museveni.
The remarks raised questions about the nature of the dispute between the two military figures, although the precise reasons for their differences were not publicly established.
Elwelu had served in several senior UPDF positions, including Commander of Land Forces and Deputy Chief of Defence Forces. He joined the military in 1987 and rose through the ranks to lieutenant general.
His military career has also been controversial. He commanded security forces involved in the November 2016 operation at the Kasese palace of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere, in which more than 100 people were killed, according to reports on the incident. The United States later imposed sanctions on Elwelu over human rights concerns linked to the operation.
Questions over the announced demotion
Muhoozi’s declaration raises questions about the authority and procedure under which a former senior officer could be stripped of his rank and reduced to private, particularly following his retirement from active military service.
The announcement alone does not establish whether a formal military decision has been made, whether a disciplinary process has taken place or what legal basis would apply to the purported demotion.
It also remains unclear whether the alleged arrests of Elwelu’s former soldiers and wife are connected to a specific investigation or form part of a broader dispute involving the former general.
As of publication, there was no independently verified information establishing Elwelu’s whereabouts, confirming that he had been ordered to surrender or documenting the alleged arrests.
The allegations therefore remain claims attributed to Muhoozi, pending further confirmation from the UPDF, relevant security agencies or the individuals concerned.
