Exiled critic of Rwandan president found beheaded

A former Rwandan army sergeant major, who became an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, has been found beheaded in neighbouring Uganda.

Robert Kabera, 50, fled Rwanda after being accused of sexual assault, which he denied. He sought asylum in neighbouring Uganda, citing political persecution.

Ugandan police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke on Monday said that Kabera's head had still not been recovered. His body was discovered by local residents on the outskirts of Kampala over the weekend.

The Rwandan government has not publicly commented on the killing. Several critics of Kagame have been killed, both in Rwanda and abroad.

His widow, Jeanne d'Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, told BBC Great Lakes in a written message that she now feared for her family's safety.

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

According to his family, Kabera had travelled to inspect a construction site about 45 km (30 miles) outside Kampala before his death.

Kabera built a public profile as a musician and YouTuber, attracting more than 144,000 subscribers to his channel, which featured over 800 videos, many criticising Kagame and his administration.

Reacting to news of his murder, the opposition Rwanda National Congress (RNC) called for a thorough investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice.

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?"

His death adds to concerns about the safety of Rwandan dissidents living in exile.

In 2014, Patrick Karegeya, a former Rwandan intelligence chief who helped set up the RNC, was found dead in his hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Karegeya fell out with President Paul Kagame and was arrested twice, serving an 18-month prison sentence for insubordination and desertion before fleeing to South Africa in 2007, where he became a vocal critic of the government.

Following his 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," he said.

In 2019, South African authorities issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans accused of murdering Karegeya.