Former Rwandan Soldier Found Beheaded in Uganda

Ugandan police are investigating the murder of Robert Kabera, a 50-year-old former Rwandan army sergeant major and critic of President Paul Kagame. Kabera's beheaded body was discovered by residents in Luwala, a village approximately 30 miles southwest of Kampala, over the weekend of October 17, 2026. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed the decapitation and noted that the victim's head has not yet been recovered.

Kabera had lived in exile in Uganda since November 2020, where he held asylum and security protection. He operated a YouTube channel called Major Robert TV with 144,000 subscribers and recently posted a TikTok video stating he feared for his life. Before fleeing Rwanda, Kabera denied government accusations of sexual assault and corrupting a minor, which he characterized as a political witch hunt.

The Rwanda National Congress called for a thorough investigation, stating that the killing is part of documented efforts to silence critics beyond Rwanda's borders. While the Rwandan government has not commented on this specific event, it has previously denied accusations of transnational assassinations. Kabera's death follows a pattern of killings of Rwandan dissidents in exile, including Patrick Karegeya in South Africa and Revocant Karemangingo in Mozambique.