Kampala:Ugandan authorities have arrested former deputy military chief Peter Elwelu on allegations of planning to destabilize parts of the country, as stated by the military. Elwelu, a three-star general, served as the deputy chief of defense forces from 2021 to 2024 and was taken into custody on Monday.
According to Ghana Web, military spokesperson Col. Chris Magezi reported that Elwelu was "on the run over involvement in subversive activities and plans to destabilize" a remote part of eastern Uganda, where he was born and raised. Security forces discovered 15 guns, military fatigues, and two pickup trucks in his possession.
Elwelu is currently being held at an undisclosed location by military authorities, and the government has not yet provided evidence to support the allegations against him. His wife has declared his innocence in statements to local media, as reported by the BBC.
Prior to Elwelu's arrest, Ugandan military chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba accused him of engaging in treacherous activities following his retirement last year. Kainerugaba had ordered a search party to apprehend Elwelu alive and announced last week that he had stripped Elwelu of his lieutenant general rank. Additionally, Kainerugaba disclosed the arrest of 20 former soldiers allegedly linked to Elwelu.
The situation is further complicated by past disagreements between Elwelu and Kainerugaba over military operations, which required intervention by President Yoweri Museveni. Kainerugaba, who is Museveni's son and considered a potential successor, launched a presidential bid for the 2031 elections, following Museveni's recent seventh-term inauguration.