By Sadique Bamwita
KAMPALA
Fresh allegations have emerged in the escalating confrontation between retired Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Deputy Chief of Defence Forces now private Peter Elwelu and serving army chief, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, with political commentator, Andrew Mwenda claiming that the former general had planned to kill the Chief of Defence Forces and seize power.
In a post on his X on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Mwenda alleged that individuals recruited by Elwelu had told security officials that the retired general intended to eliminate Muhoozi and take over the country.
“Private Elwelu was planning to kill the CDF @mkainerugaba,” Mwenda wrote.
He further claimed that the alleged recruits had disclosed during a briefing that Elwelu believed killing Muhoozi would clear his path to taking control of Uganda.
“The militia he had recruited have said that in a briefing to them, he said if kills Gen. Muhoozi, he would be able to take over Uganda. Now he is hiding in the swamps of Teso,” Mwenda added.
The allegations represent a further escalation in a rapidly developing security controversy involving one of Uganda’s former senior military commanders and the serving head of the UPDF.
However, Mwenda’s claims have not been independently verified and there is no concrete evidence that Elwelu planned to assassinate Muhoozi or take over the government.
The latest accusation comes amid a widening standoff between Elwelu and Muhoozi, who on Tuesday publicly announced that he had stripped the retired officer of his military ranks and reduced him to the rank of private.
Muhoozi also alleged that security forces had arrested more than 20 former soldiers who previously served under Elwelu and that they were cooperating with investigators.
The army chief subsequently claimed that security forces had recovered firearms and ammunition from one of Elwelu’s homes in Teso, warning that the former deputy army chief had hours to surrender before being declared a rebel.
Elwelu Allegedly Goes Missing
The controversy has been compounded by reports that Elwelu has gone into hiding over fears for his safety.
A source indicated that the former deputy army chief had become concerned about being followed and had withdrawn from public engagements. His family members also rejected allegations against him, insisting that he had served the military diligently.
The reported disappearance has intensified speculation about the whereabouts of the retired general as security-related accusations against him continue to emerge.
Facts about Gen. Elwelu
Elwelu is a former commander of the UPDF Land Forces and served as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces before leaving active military service in August 2025.
He is also associated with the controversial November 2016 military operation against the Rwenzururu Kingdom palace in Kasese, which left more than 100 people dead. The United States imposed visa restrictions on him in 2024 over alleged human rights violations linked to the operation.
