General Elwelu Tasked with Overseeing Programs in Teso and Karamoja

General Peter Elwelu has been appointed to monitor government programs in his home region Teso and neighboring Karamoja.

Elwelu’s appointment was made by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in a July 10 letter to the general.

His appointment comes hardly two months since the United States Government imposed sanctions against him. The sanctions were in response to his commanding of the deadly 2016 attack on the Rwenzururu palace. The attack in Kasese claimed the lives of over 100 people, including children. It also led to the arrest of Rwenzururu king Charles Wesley Mumbere. The Omusinga has since been released from prison, but access to his kingdom is restricted.

“Specifically, Peter Elwelu was involved, while commanding UPDF forces, in extrajudicial killings that were committed by members of the UPDF.” stated the United States in their statement sanctioning Elwelu.

Currently, Elwelu serves as one of the 10 MPs representing the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in Parliament. However, the President confirmed that Elwelu will be facilitated separately to carry out his new duties.

Elwelu’s appointment has attracted reactions of equal measure from various political commentators. It comes just a week after the president was criticized for creating a new unit to oversee URA operations. A number of critics believe that this is a duplication of duties, as there are government entities supposed to do this.

Generally, monitoring of government programs has been a role of Resident District and City Commissioners (RDC/RCC).The President’s letter didn’t address which office Elwelu will be reporting to.

Brief profile of Gen Elwelu

Elwelu joined the army in 1987, a year after the NRA had successfully taken power following a bush war. He has served as a Commander in various missions, including the UPDF’s invasion of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additionally, he was deployed to the Northern Region to fight Joseph Kony and his guerilla Lord’s Resistance Army. He also commanded Uganda’s first contingent to Somalia in 2007 under the African Union Mission to Somalia.He is currently at the rank of Lieutenant General. In March, Gen Elwelu was dropped from the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces position.