Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan army sergeant major and vocal critic of President Paul Kagame, was found beheaded in Uganda. His head remains missing, and police have not established a motive.
Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan army sergeant major who became an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, has been found beheaded in neighbouring Uganda. Kabera, 50, fled Rwanda in 2020 after being accused of sexual assault, which he denied, citing political persecution as the reason for seeking asylum in Uganda.
Ugandan police confirmed that Kabera's body was discovered by local residents on the outskirts of Kampala over the weekend. Superintendent of Police Lydia Tumushabe stated that the remains were found in a bush in the Kamengo area of Mpigi district. According to Tumushabe, "The head, up to now, is still missing." The body was identified by residents and Kabera's brother.
Uganda’s National Police spokesperson, Rusoke Kituuma, said on Monday that investigators were aware of Kabera's previous service in the Rwandan military. "There are those who allege that he was previously a serving soldier," Kituuma told reporters. "Whatever. All that we shall establish in the course of investigations." Detectives have yet to establish a clear motive for the killing.
Kabera built a public profile as a musician and YouTuber, performing with the Army Jazz Band before his exile. His YouTube channel, Major Robert TV, featured over 800 videos and attracted more than 144,000 subscribers, many of which criticized Kagame and his administration. According to a 2008 profile in the local newspaper The New Times, Kabera was a well-known figure in Rwanda as a soldier and musician.
After fleeing to Uganda, the Rwandan military launched an investigation into allegations that Kabera had engaged in "unlawful sexual contact" with a family member. Kabera told some Ugandan media outlets that he had fled Rwanda to escape "persecution." The Rwandan government has not publicly commented on the killing.
Kabera’s widow, Jeanne d'Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, expressed fear for her family's safety in a written message to BBC Great Lakes. "It is scary. I feel crazy, the children and I don't have security," she said.
The opposition Rwanda National Congress (RNC) called for a thorough investigation. In a statement on X, the RNC said: "Today, his family is grieving, his voice is gone, and Rwandans in exile are confronting a terrifying question: where can we be safe?"
This incident highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of Rwandan dissidents living in exile. Several critics of President Kagame have been killed both in Rwanda and abroad. In 2014, Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief and co-founder of the RNC, was found dead in his hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa. Following Karegeya's death, Kagame made remarks widely seen as a warning to other critics: "Any person alive who may be plotting against Rwanda, whoever they are, will pay the price. Whoever it is, it is a matter of time." In 2019, South African authorities issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans accused of murdering Karegeya.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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