By NANGAYI GUYSON

KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ugandan Army Commander Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, who was sanctioned by the United States and reported to International Criminal Court for ordering the massacre of more than 154 people during an attack on a kingdom palace in western Uganda in 2016, has bragged about how he took wise decisions and those killed were criminals who deserved it.

Lt Gen. Peter Elwelu, the UPDF Commander of Land Forces, stated the decisions he made during the UPDF invasion on the Rwenzururu Kingdom in 2016 brought peace to Kasese. Lt Gen. Elwelu made the statements during a press conference shortly after being sworn in as an MP representing the army in Uganda's 11th parliament, eliciting additional outrage from human rights activists and Ugandan citizens.

Background  

On November 26, 2016, Ugandans awoke to the news that violence had erupted in Kasese, the capital of the Ugandan Kingdom of Rwenzururu, when Ugandan police attacked the Rwenzururu kingdom's government offices, murdering eight Rwenzururian royal guards and arresting two others.

The raid, according to Uganda's government, was in retaliation to militant attacks on police checkpoints in the region two weeks prior, which were allegedly carried out by the royal guards. According to a 2017 Human Rights Watch investigation, Ugandan armed forces and police, led by Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, attacked the Rwenzururu royal palace after an ultimatum imposed by the Ugandan government expired, killing more than 153 people, including royal guards, innocent people, and children.

Following the raids, Rwenzururu's Omusinga (King), Charles Mumbere, was detained and charged with murder; the King's movements have been restricted within Kampala and Wakiso, and he is not allowed to return to his kingdom.

Human rights advocates, critics, and the diplomatic community put pressure on the government after the attack in 2016, and following the 2017 HRW report, to act on the horrific disclosures about the Kasese killings, but the administration remained deafeningly silent.

After the government said that “Uganda has no lack of independent investigative capacity,” the EU called on the relevant authorities to swiftly conduct the necessary field investigation, ensure strong witness protection, and secure evidence. However, no investigation into the massacre has been carried out to date. 

Later, opposition politicians, in collaboration with civil society and human rights campaigners, lobbied the ICC to charge the alleged perpetrators of the crimes, including President Museveni and the operation's commander, Lt Gen Peter Elwelu. However, following further research, the International Criminal Court decided not to pursue the allegations.

The International Criminal Court acknowledged in part of a draft report given by the ICC prosecutor's office in 2020 that because the royal guards were armed, the security personnel had every right to handle the situation the way they did.

The International Criminal Court, on the other hand, concurred that the operation was conducted in an indiscriminate and disproportionate manner, resulting in the deaths of many innocent civilians. 

“The agency observes that there have been violent incidents, including violent battles between Ugandan security forces and armed groups... The office has highlighted that the claimed activities could not be appropriately evaluated within the context of article 8 of the statute due to a lack of the required intensity and organization….the alleged behavior also did not satisfy the contextual components of the crime of genocide under article 6 of the statute,” the report notes in part.

Reactions 

Lt. Gen. Elwelu, in response to queries concerning his role as a mission commander in the 2016 UPDF attack on the Rwenzururu Kingdom palace, claimed those killed in the attack were criminals who deserved to die, and that Kasese is now peaceful.

“It is because of my activities that Uganda is peaceful. In response to a query regarding his damaged image following the killings, Elwelu replied, “Kasese is peaceful because of my judgment.” 

“What are you talking about? The ICC let me free. They were crooks who deserved to die. Because of my decision, Kasese is now peaceful,” he remarked.

When asked about the sanctions imposed by the United States of America in the aftermath of the incident, Elwelu stated he is unconcerned since his country is Uganda, not the United States. He claims he is unaware of the sanctions and is unconcerned about them.

“I'm not sure what that (sanctions) means to me. I'm not sure what it means, and I'm not familiar with America; I only know Uganda. To hell with sanctions if that's what they're called. Lt. Gen Elwelu stated, I don't need them."

He went on to say, “What is US?” “This is where I was born, where I will die, and where I will be buried. Elwelu's speech has caused alarm among Kasese residents and Rwenzururu kingdom leaders, and has opened healed wounds for those who lost loved ones in the November 2016 attack, which killed more than 150 people. Human Rights Defenders have warned the Commander of Land Forces, Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu, about his words, warning he may regret them in the future if he is prosecuted.

 Dr. Livingstone Ssewanyana, Executive Director of the Foundation For Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) said “One day, Lt. Gen Elwelu will say, I wish I had listened,” 

“His admission, as well as his acts, has legal ramifications. He is not only responsible for the bloodshed, but also for the prosecution. “The general needs to be informed that when people are executed extra-judicially, there is legal accountability that develops, and that though he currently enjoys state protection, he might be punished at any time in the future,” Dr. Ssewanyana stated.  

James Ewera, a Kasese resident said “ Uganda still owes the people of Kasese an apology and if such a person who is a member of parliament, who is also a senior officer in the army makes such a reckless statement publicly that the people of Kasese deserves to die. Why should we be provoked to time and again?,” Ewera questioned.

Joseph Muranga, a former Prime Minister in Rwenzururu kingdom wondered why should Lt. Gen Elwelu make such statements.

“I was wondering how we move along the mountain, preaching peace, asking the former to do nothing and return to peace” he wondered.

Current Prime Minister of Rwenzururu Kingdom, Mr. Bradford Nguru, also weighed in saying “the more I know those more horrific images are still haunting him, many of us are still getting shocks and the more we talk about it positively, the more we heal. I think General needs to speak to a Counselor” he said. 

Human rights Defender, Dr. Adrian Jjuko, reminded Lt. Gen Elwelu that Ugandan law doesn’t allow death penalty and his statements are unlawful. “How can someone else see this? It is baffling and is very shocking. Interestingly, Uganda last executed someone in 1998 meaning that even now we don't use the death penalty as a punishment anymore for even every heinous crime. So what are the people in Kasese that were shot down done deserve such quick justice?” Dr. Jjuko questioned.