Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has announced the demotion of retired Lt. Gen. Peter Elweru to the rank of private, while claiming that security forces have arrested more than 20 former soldiers linked to the retired officer.
In posts on X on October 26 and 27, 2026, Gen. Muhoozi declared that Elweru had been stripped of his military ranks, describing him as a “traitor”.
“The traitor Peter Elweru is hereby stripped of his ranks. He is demoted to Private,” Gen. Muhoozi posted.
The army chief subsequently said more than 20 former soldiers associated with Elweru had been arrested and were cooperating with investigators, although he did not provide details of the allegations against them.
“We have arrested over 20 of Elweru’s former soldiers. They are co-operating well. They all agree he went insane a long time ago. Elweru should SURRENDER soon in order to save his own life,” Gen. Muhoozi wrote.
The announcement raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the action against the retired general, the legal or military procedures under which his rank could be withdrawn, and the nature of the allegations being investigated. Gen. Muhoozi’s social media posts did not provide detailed answers to those questions.
Elweru, a former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces and a retired senior military officer, previously served as commander of the UPDF’s Second Division. He became internationally scrutinised over the November 2016 security operation in Kasese District, during which more than 100 people were reported killed.
In May 2024, the United States imposed travel restrictions on Elweru over allegations of extrajudicial killings committed by UPDF personnel under his command. The US State Department cited his involvement in serious human rights violations.
The Kasese operation involved clashes between security forces and members of the Rwenzururu Kingdom’s royal guards, followed by a raid on the palace of King Charles Wesley Mumbere. Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into the killings and accountability for those responsible.
Gen. Muhoozi’s latest posts also included allegations concerning Elweru’s family. He claimed that security forces had arrested the retired general’s wife over alleged domestic abuse, which he said had continued for eight years. The claim has not been independently verified, and no further details about the alleged arrest or any charges were provided.
In another post, Gen. Muhoozi referred to the recent killing of a former officer of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), saying his office had not been notified about the incident. He alleged that elements associated with Kayumba Nyamwasa’s Rwanda National Congress (RNC) could have been responsible, while stating that investigations would establish the truth. He did not present evidence supporting the allegation in the post.
The circumstances surrounding Elweru’s reported demotion, the arrests of the former soldiers and the connection, if any, between these developments and the killing of the former RDF officer remain unclear.
Neither the precise legal basis for the announced change in rank nor the specific allegations against the arrested former soldiers was detailed in the posts cited.
The developments have placed renewed attention on the relationship between military command, accountability for past operations and the procedures governing disciplinary action against serving and retired officers.
As of publication, the claims regarding Elweru’s demotion, his wife’s arrest and the allegations against the former soldiers had not been independently confirmed.
