Musa Ecweru Assures Teso Is Peaceful, Urges Lt Gen Peter Elwelu to Surrender

Former State Minister for Works Musa Ecweru has strongly assured investors and citizens that the Teso sub-region remains peaceful, while addressing the media in Soroti on Thursday regarding security concerns. Ecweru, who previously commanded the Arrow Auxiliary Force, emphasized that local leaders and former combatants made a firm commitment never to allow war to return to the area following the devastating 1987–1992 Uganda People’s Army insurgency.

Reflecting on the region’s painful history, Ecweru recalled how past conflicts reversed years of development. He noted that in 1993, approximately 1,200 former combatants signed a memorandum of understanding with President Yoweri Museveni after receiving presidential pardons, pledging that peace would be preserved in Teso for as long as they lived. This dedication was tested again in 2003 during the Lord’s Resistance Army incursion, prompting former rebels to unite under the Arrow Auxiliary Force and successfully suppress the threat by 2005.

Turning to recent security matters, Ecweru addressed reports surrounding former UPDF commander Lt Gen Peter Elwelu. He stated that if allegations linking Elwelu to plans for an insurrection were true, it would be a regrettable decision, urging him to surrender through respected local figures like Bishop Kosea Odongo Echiru. Ecweru expressed confidence that President Museveni’s history of granting pardons could offer a peaceful resolution, adding that former reservists and security agencies stand ready to maintain stability.

Furthermore, the former minister criticized certain media outlets for broadcasting inflammatory statements during radio programs. He reminded broadcasters that their core mandate is to inform, educate, and entertain rather than promote incitement. Concluding his remarks, Ecweru urged residents to safeguard their hard-won tranquility, maintaining that political disagreements should never be permitted to plunge Teso back into violence. Read more details of the story on Nile Post.