Political and community leaders in Uganda's Teso sub-region have formally asked President Yoweri Museveni to step into the case of retired Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, whose arrest this week has stirred deep anxiety across the eastern region.
Elwelu, a former deputy Chief of Defence Forces, was taken into custody by security operatives in Soroti City on Monday evening. Word of the detention spread later that same night, with allegations that the retired general was involved in subversive activities cited as the reason.
Outrage and worry across the region
The news landed heavily in Teso, where Elwelu is regarded as one of the area's most prominent figures. Residents turned to social media in large numbers to voice their concern, while conversations in trading centres across the sub-region grew tense as people tried to make sense of the accusations.
Against that backdrop, the region's leadership moved to engage the highest office in the land. David Calvin Echodu, the National Resistance Movement's national vice-chairperson for the eastern region, said the concerns of ordinary people in Teso had been passed on to the President.
In a statement shared on X on Tuesday, Echodu explained that regional leaders had begun reaching out to the institutions involved in order to understand the full scope of the allegations.
"Aware of our turbulent history, we, together with other senior leaders, have embarked on consultations with responsible institutions to ascertain the details and magnitude of the said matter. We have also informed the President about the concerns of majority of the people in Teso," he said.
Calls for calm
Despite the unease, Echodu urged residents to remain calm and voiced confidence that the matter would be resolved in a fitting manner. His appeal appeared aimed at preventing tension from spilling over while the facts of the case are still being established.
The arrest of a figure of Elwelu's stature has drawn attention well beyond Teso, given his years of service in the upper ranks of Uganda's military. For many in the region, the development has revived memories of past episodes of political friction and raised questions about how the case will be handled.
Leaders now appear to be betting on dialogue, with consultations underway and the President directly informed of the mood on the ground. Whether those efforts will ease public anxiety in Teso in the coming days remains to be seen.
