KAMPALA, Uganda — Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has announced that retired Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu has been stripped of his military ranks and reduced to the rank of Private, while accusing the former army commander of stockpiling weapons and links to a possible rebellion.
Muhoozi made the announcement in a series of posts on X on Tuesday morning, describing Elwelu as a “traitor” and ordering him to surrender.
“The traitor Peter Elwelu is hereby stripped of his ranks. He is demoted to Private,” Muhoozi wrote.
The CDF also said security forces had arrested more than 20 former soldiers who had served under Elwelu.
According to Muhoozi, the former soldiers were cooperating with authorities and had made claims about Elwelu’s mental state. He did not identify the detainees or disclose the charges against them.
“Elwelu should surrender soon in order to save his own life,” Muhoozi said.
Later on Tuesday, Muhoozi posted photographs showing rifles, magazines and ammunition. He said the weapons had been recovered from one of Elwelu’s homes in the Teso sub region.
“Some of the arms ‘Private Elweru’ was stockpiling at one of his homes in Teso,” Muhoozi wrote, adding that Elwelu had only hours to surrender before authorities would declare him a rebel.
The claims had not been independently verified by press time. No detailed statement from the UPDF giving the identities of the alleged detainees, the charges against them or the circumstances surrounding the reported weapons recovery had been publicly released.
Elwelu had also not issued a public response to the allegations as of Tuesday afternoon.
The announcement also raises questions about the legal basis for publicly reducing the rank of a retired senior officer.
Section 60 of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces Act, as amended in 2025, states that an officer or militant cannot be demoted below their substantive rank except by sentence of a military court of competent jurisdiction. The amended law also defines a military veteran as a person who has completed military service and been honourably discharged or retired, while allowing the Commander in Chief to re engage retired personnel with special skills.
The law does not, however, clearly establish from the provision alone whether the CDF can unilaterally alter the military rank of a retired officer in circumstances such as those announced on Tuesday. That question could require a formal legal interpretation if the action is challenged.
Elwelu’s military career
Elwelu, who was born in Kumi District in 1966, joined the military in 1987 and rose through the UPDF command structure.
He commanded the 2nd Division based in Mbarara from 2013 to January 2017 before becoming Commander of Land Forces. He held that position until June 2021, when he was appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Forces.
He remained Deputy CDF until March 2024, when President Yoweri Museveni made changes to the army leadership and Muhoozi took over as CDF.
Elwelu was later appointed Senior Presidential Adviser and continued serving as a UPDF representative in Parliament before being listed for retirement.
In August 2025, Museveni presided over his retirement send off at State House, Entebbe, alongside six other senior generals. Elwelu was among 1,346 UPDF personnel in the 2025/26 retirement batch.
At the time of his retirement, Elwelu said he was leaving the army peacefully and honourably after nearly four decades of service.
Kasese operation remains part of his legacy
Elwelu’s military career has also been closely associated with the deadly 2016 clashes in Kasese involving security forces and supporters of the Rwenzururu Kingdom.
In November 2016, soldiers under the command of then Brig. Elwelu took part in operations against the Rwenzururu Kingdom following escalating tensions between the government and the kingdom.
Human Rights Watch documented at least 153 deaths during the November 26 and 27 clashes, including civilians and children. The organisation said security forces raided the palace of King Charles Wesley Mumbere on November 27 and arrested the king and scores of others.
The figures surrounding the Kasese violence have differed among Ugandan authorities and other investigations. The International Criminal Court prosecutor’s office also reported credible information that Ugandan security forces were involved in multiple killings during the operation.
In May 2024, the United States sanctioned Elwelu over alleged gross human rights violations linked to killings by UPDF members while he was commanding Ugandan forces. The sanctions made him generally ineligible to enter the United States.
Elwelu has defended the 2016 operation, maintaining that security forces were responding to armed resistance and threats to national security.
Earlier tensions with Muhoozi
The latest accusations come against a background of public tension between Muhoozi and Elwelu.
In December 2024, Muhoozi made a series of critical comments about Elwelu on X, including threats to arrest him. At the time, the remarks attracted attention because both men were senior UPDF officers and Muhoozi was already serving as CDF.
The relationship remained a subject of public discussion when Elwelu was included in the 2025 retirement exercise. The UPDF rejected claims at the time that his retirement had been forced, while reports noted the strained relationship between the two generals.
Tuesday’s developments mark a significant escalation, with Muhoozi now accusing his retired predecessor of possessing weapons and potentially organising a rebellion.
There were also reports on Tuesday that Brig. Gen. Oscar Munanura had replaced Maj. Gen. Richard Otto as Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security. The reported change had not been formally confirmed through an official UPDF statement by press time.
As of Tuesday afternoon, key questions remained unanswered, including the identities and charges of the alleged detainees, the circumstances surrounding the reported weapons recovery, the legal basis of the announced change in Elwelu’s rank and whether Elwelu will respond to the allegations.
The UPDF had not issued a detailed public statement addressing those questions by press time.
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