Rwandan Government Critic Found Beheaded in Uganda as Family Fears for Safety

Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan army officer who became a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame, has been found beheaded in neighbouring Uganda, raising fresh concerns about the safety of Rwandan dissidents living in exile.

The 50-year-old’s body was discovered in Luwala village, in Uganda’s Mpigi district, about 45 kilometres from Kampala. Ugandan police said his head had not been recovered and that an investigation was underway. Authorities have not established a motive or publicly linked the killing to his political views.

A critic living in exile

Kabera, a former sergeant major in Rwanda’s army, left the country and sought asylum in Uganda, saying he feared political persecution. He had been accused of sexual assault, an allegation he denied.

He later built a following as a musician and YouTuber. His channel, Major Robert TV, attracted more than 144,000 subscribers and featured hundreds of videos, many critical of Kagame and his administration.

According to his family, Kabera had travelled to inspect a construction site before his death.

His widow, Jeanne d’Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, told BBC Great Lakes that she feared for herself and their children following the killing.

“It is scary. I feel crazy, the children and I don't have security,” she said.

The Rwandan government had not publicly commented on his death in the reports available on October 20.

A history of attacks on exiled critics

Kabera’s killing has brought renewed attention to earlier cases involving Rwandan critics who died abroad. One of the best-known was Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief and co-founder of the opposition Rwanda National Congress.

Karegeya was found dead in a Johannesburg hotel in January 2014 after falling out with Kagame’s government and going into exile in South Africa. In 2019, South African authorities issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans accused of his murder.

Other Rwandan exiles have also been killed in South Africa and Mozambique, adding to concerns among opposition figures living outside their home country. However, those earlier cases do not establish who was responsible for Kabera’s death.

The Rwanda National Congress has called for a thorough investigation into the latest killing and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

Investigators have yet to establish a motive

Ugandan police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Kabera’s death, including the recovery of his missing head. Until investigators identify suspects and establish a motive, it remains unclear whether his political activities played any role.

The case nevertheless raises serious questions about the security of exiled critics in the region, particularly those who continue to speak publicly against their home governments.

For Kabera’s family, the immediate concern is personal safety as they grieve his death. For investigators, the priority is to establish what happened, identify those responsible and determine why he was killed.

The outcome of that investigation will be central to separating evidence from the fears and allegations that have followed his death.