In brief
Robert Kabera, a popular YouTuber and former Rwandan sergeant, fled Rwanda amid accusations of sexual assault and a climate of political persecution. He sought asylum in Uganda, where his body was discovered beheaded on the outskirts of Kampala. His death adds to a spate of violent attacks on Rwandan dissidents abroad, sparking alarm among his family and the international community. The Rwandan government has not commented, while Ugandan police say the head remains missing.
Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan army sergeant‑major and popular YouTuber, was found beheaded in the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday.
Kabara, 50, fled Rwanda in 2025 after police accused him of sexual assault – a claim he denied – and he claimed political persecution. He moved to Uganda to seek shelter, but his body was discovered by local residents with an empty head, Ugandan police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said.
The Rwandan government has not released a statement on the killing. Kabera had built a public profile as a musician and satirist, amassing more than 144,000 followers on his channel where he routinely criticised President Paul Kagame and the administration.
His widow, Jeanne d'Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, wrote to the BBC that she is now terrified for her family’s safety, describing the loss as "scary" and saying her children feel unsafe. She added that the family had been struggling to secure basic protection in Uganda.
Kabera’s case follows a series of violent attacks on Rwandan exiles. The former intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya was found dead in Johannesburg in 2014, and South Africa issued arrest warrants in 2019 for two Rwandans suspected of his murder.
The death of one of Rwanda’s most outspoken critics outside the country raises new concerns over the safety of political dissidents in exile, prompting calls for stronger protection and accountability across the region.
