Former State Minister for Works and Transport Musa Francis Ecweru has intensified the search for retired Lieutenant General Peter Elwelu, announcing that former Arrow Boys fighters will join security agencies in tracking down the retired military commander. Ecweru issued a stern warning, urging Elwelu to surrender peacefully through trusted leaders in Teso or risk facing a dangerous confrontation with those searching for him.
Speaking in Soroti on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Ecweru, who chairs the former Arrow Boys group, said the fighters were ready to work alongside police, internal security officers and other law enforcement agencies to establish Elwelu’s whereabouts. He insisted that the people of Teso would not allow anyone to destabilise the peace they had fought hard to restore after years of armed conflict. He maintained that former fighters were prepared to support security agencies in dealing with any threat to the region’s stability.
Ecweru, however, offered Elwelu an opportunity to surrender peacefully, identifying respected regional leaders who could facilitate his handover. He mentioned Bishop Joseph Eciru, Iteso cultural leader Emorimor and Vice President Jessica Alupo as possible intermediaries. According to the former minister, Elwelu could approach the bishop and be assured of protection before being taken to President Yoweri Museveni to explain himself and seek forgiveness.
Despite extending an olive branch, Ecweru delivered a chilling warning about the consequences of finding Elwelu hiding and resisting arrest. He cautioned that the situation could turn deadly if the retired general was discovered hiding in a bush or inside someone’s house. “If we get him in a thicket or hiding in some house, I am afraid he will die,” Ecweru warned, remarks that have raised questions about the involvement of former fighters in what is expected to be a sensitive security operation.
The former minister justified his tough position by recalling Teso’s painful history of insecurity, including the Uganda People’s Army insurgency in the late 1980s and the Lord’s Resistance Army attacks in 2003. He explained that the Arrow Boys were established to support government forces in fighting the LRA rebels and restoring security in the region. He noted that thousands of former fighters were eventually demobilised, while others reportedly joined the army and police after the fighting ended.
Ecweru also raised concerns about several young people whose whereabouts are allegedly unknown, claiming that some could have been lured away with promises of employment in other parts of the country. He announced plans to release details of the affected youths and called upon parents, community leaders and security agencies to help establish their whereabouts. However, he did not provide evidence linking the alleged disappearance of the youths to Elwelu or any confirmed armed mobilisation.
Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba subsequently reacted to Ecweru’s remarks, expressing support for his position against individuals allegedly seeking to cause trouble in Teso. In his response, Muhoozi referred to the retired military officer as “Private Elweru”, a remark that has added another political and security dimension to the unfolding developments. The situation comes amid reports of weapons recoveries and arrests involving individuals allegedly connected to Elwelu, although allegations of a plot targeting Muhoozi and President Museveni remain independently unverified.
Elwelu previously served as Deputy Chief of Defence Forces between June 2021 and March 2024 before retiring from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces in August 2025. His current whereabouts remain unclear, while Ecweru’s announcement to involve former Arrow Boys fighters has attracted attention across Teso and beyond. The biggest questions now concern whether Elwelu will surrender through the proposed regional intermediaries, whether security agencies will locate him and what legal arrangements will govern the participation of former fighters in the search.
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