The key facts
- Robert Kabera, 50, a former sergeant major of the Rwandan army and critic of President Kagame, was found beheaded on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda
- The victim's head has not been found, said Ugandan police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke
- The Rwandan government has not commented on the killing; the widow said she fears for her family's safety
Beheaded body found on the outskirts of Kampala
Robert Kabera, 50, a former sergeant major of the Rwandan army who became an open critic of President Paul Kagame, has been found beheaded in Uganda. Local residents discovered the body on the outskirts of Kampala over the weekend. Ugandan police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said on Monday that the victim's head has still not been found.
Biography and circumstances of death
Kabera fled Rwanda after accusations of sexual violence, which he denied, and sought asylum in Uganda, citing political persecution. According to his family, before his death he went to inspect a construction site about 45 km (30 miles) from Kampala. Kabera gained fame as a musician and YouTuber: his channel, with more than 800 videos, many of which criticized Kagame and his administration, gathered over 144,000 subscribers.
Reaction and context
The Rwandan government has not publicly commented on the killing. The victim's widow, Jeanne d'Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, told BBC Great Lakes in a written message that she fears for her family's safety: 'It is terrifying. I feel like I am going crazy, my children and I have no safety.' Kabera's death has heightened concerns about the safety of Rwandan dissidents in exile. In 2014, former Rwandan intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya, who helped found an opposition party, was found dead in his hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa; in 2019, South Africa issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans accused of his murder. According to the BBC, several critics of Kagame have been killed both in Rwanda and abroad.
Image source, Robert Kabera
Robert Kabera was a popular YouTuber and singer
