Ugandan security forces arrested on Monday, November 2, 2026, in Soroti, former deputy chief of defense forces Peter Elwelu, whom the military command accuses of preparing subversive activities in the eastern part of the country, the army spokesperson announced.
Colonel Chris Magezi stated that security forces had recovered fifteen firearms, military uniforms, and two vehicles linked to the former general. These elements currently represent the army’s version and have not been publicly supported by independent evidence.
Peter Elwelu was being held on Tuesday at an undisclosed location. The military spokesperson announced that he would be prosecuted in court, without specifying the charges or the date of an initial hearing. The former officer could not be reached for comment.
His wife, Patricia Apolot, had denied the accusations before his arrest. She had assured several Ugandan media outlets that her husband was not preparing any rebellion and disputed the discovery of weapons at their family home.
Peter Elwelu served as deputy chief of the defense forces between 2021 and 2024. His arrest comes after several days of public accusations by the army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who had described him as a fugitive and announced his demotion to the rank of ordinary soldier.
The daily New Vision reported a security deployment around two properties belonging to Peter Elwelu in the districts of Soroti and Kalaki. An administrative official from Soroti declined to comment on what he described as a sensitive matter, while another regional security official confirmed the arrest to the newspaper.
The former general remains associated with the November 2016 raid on the palace of King Charles Wesley Mumbere in Kasese. This military operation, which he had commanded, resulted in more than one hundred deaths according to reports by Ugandan media and human rights organizations.
