Gambiaj.com – (KAMPALA, UGANDA) – A Rwandan dissident and former army sergeant major who fled his country after raising concerns about his safety has been found beheaded in Uganda, with police yet to recover his missing head.
Robert Kabera, 50, was found dead on Saturday, October 17, in Luwala Village, Kammengo Sub-county, in Mpigi District, on the outskirts of Kampala. His body was discovered by local residents, who alerted police.
Ugandan police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed the killing, saying investigators recovered Kabera’s body but not his head.
“We acknowledge that we registered murder of male adult averagely 50 years whose head was cut off and up to now it hasn’t yet been recovered. We recovered the body minus the head. He was identified as Robert Kabera by his relatives,” Rusoke told journalists.
Police believe the killing may have occurred during the night of October 16 or in the early hours of October 17. Kabera’s relatives had become concerned after he failed to communicate with them, prompting further concern about his whereabouts.
His remains were taken to Mulago City Mortuary as investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding his death.
From Rwandan Soldier To Kagame Critic
Kabera was a former member of the Rwanda Defense Forces who reportedly left Rwanda for Uganda around 2020 after expressing fears that his life was in danger.
After settling in Uganda, he became increasingly outspoken against President Paul Kagame’s government. He developed a following through a YouTube channel where he criticized Rwanda’s political leadership and discussed issues concerning the country.
His political activities had made him a prominent Rwandan dissident in exile, although Ugandan police have so far made no connection between his political views and his murder.
“We are investigating that murder and any other details relevant to the murder or any circumstances surrounding his life,” Rusoke said.
Family Fears For Its Safety
Kabera’s widow has expressed fears for the safety of the family following his killing.
The circumstances of the murder, including the removal of his head, have heightened concerns among Rwandan dissidents living outside the country. The Rwanda National Congress, an opposition group, has called for a thorough investigation into the killing.
Police said recovering Kabera’s head remains one of the outstanding elements of the investigation.
Echoes Of Other Dissident Killings
Kabera’s death has also revived memories of previous killings of prominent critics of the Rwandan government abroad.
Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief who became a critic of Kagame after falling out with the government, was found strangled in a Johannesburg hotel in January 2014.
Karegeya’s killing triggered accusations from Rwanda’s opponents that the government was involved, allegations Kigali has denied.
In 2021, a former lieutenant in the Rwandan army, Revocat Karemangingo, was shot dead in Mozambique, where he was suspected of secretly supporting an opposition force.
Outspoken opponent Seif Bamporiki was shot dead in South Africa the same year.
Former general Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa, who co-founded the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) opposition party with Karegeya and lives in exile, has survived several assassination attempts.
In Kabera’s case, Ugandan authorities have not identified a suspect or established a motive. The investigation remains ongoing as police seek to determine who killed the former soldier, why he was targeted and what happened to his missing head.
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