Quick Answer: Robert Kabera, a 50-year-old former Rwandan soldier turned YouTuber with 144,000 subscribers, was found beheaded in Luwala village near Kampala, Uganda, on Saturday, October 17. Ugandan police say his head has still not been recovered. Kabera fled Rwanda in 2020 and had become a vocal critic of President Paul Kagame.
What Happened in Luwala
Robert Kabera's headless body was discovered on Saturday, October 17, at a eucalyptus plantation in Luwala village, Kamengo sub-county, in Uganda's Mpigi district — about 45 kilometres from Kampala. He had been building a house there, family members told investigators, according to The Observer of Uganda.
Kabera, 50, had arrived from Kampala at about 7 pm on Friday, October 16, and later went to a bar in the Luwala trading centre. When he failed to return the next morning, his brother Victor Agaba went looking for him. At about 2 pm on Saturday, the village defence secretary told Agaba that an unidentified headless body had been found; Agaba identified it through a scar on Kabera's right thumb and shoes recovered near the scene. Police recovered a large stick suspected to have been used in the attack, two beer bottles and shoes.
Ugandan police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told reporters on Monday that investigators were treating the case as murder, that Kabera's head had still not been recovered, and that the killing likely took place late on October 16 or early on October 17, according to AFP.
Who Was Robert Kabera
Kabera was popularly known as "Sergeant Robert" — a former instructor and soloist with the Rwanda Defence Force Army Jazz Band. AFP described him as a former sergeant; the BBC described him as a sergeant major. He was not outspoken during his military career, but after leaving Rwanda he grew increasingly opposed to President Paul Kagame.
He built a public profile as a musician and YouTuber. His channel, "Major Robert TV", attracted more than 144,000 subscribers and featured over 800 videos, many of them criticising Kagame and his administration, the BBC reported. One song praised Victoire Ingabire, a rare voice of dissent inside Rwanda who has been repeatedly imprisoned.
Kabera fled Rwanda for Uganda in November 2020 with his wife, saying he feared for his safety. Rwanda's military prosecution accused him of sexually assaulting a teenage family member in Ndera, Gasabo district — allegations he denied as politically motivated. In September 2021 he wrote to Ugandan authorities seeking protection, saying the accusations against him were politically driven and that he feared for his life. In May 2022 he was briefly detained over alleged unlawful possession of a firearm and released on police bond.
"Even If You Run to America, We Will Find You"
Three years before his killing, Kabera reported a frightening attack. In October 2023, three men assaulted him on Rubaga Road in Kampala and fled in a black car without number plates after he shouted for help, according to a village chairperson's letter to police seen by The Observer. "Even if you run to America, we will find you and kill you," the men reportedly told him.
His brother pointed the finger at Kigali. "In Uganda, Robert had no issues with anyone," Victor Agaba told AFP. "Our problem comes from home… The army created a criminal case against him. It was a witch hunt." AFP noted that Rwandan authorities have been accused of assassinating opponents of President Kagame. The Rwandan government had not publicly commented on Kabera's killing as of Monday. Kabera's widow, Jeanne d'Arc Rwigema Uwizeye, told BBC Great Lakes in a written message: "It is scary. I feel crazy, the children and I don't have security."
A Pattern of Exile Killings
Kabera is not the first Rwandan opposition figure in exile to be killed. In 2014, former intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya was found strangled in his Johannesburg hotel room; in 2019, South African authorities issued arrest warrants for two Rwandan nationals accused of murdering him. After Karegeya's death, Kagame made remarks widely interpreted as a warning to his 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."
In 2021, former army lieutenant Revocant Karemangingo was shot dead in Mozambique and outspoken opponent Seif Bamporiki was gunned down in South Africa, while ex-general Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa has survived several assassination attempts. The exiled Rwanda National Congress called for a thorough investigation into Kabera's killing, saying on X: "Today, his family is grieving, his voice is gone, and Rwandans in exile are confronting a terrifying question: where can we be safe?"
Why It Matters
Kabera's killing lands in a long, dark pattern — and that's what makes it bigger than one murder. Critics of Rwanda's government have repeatedly turned up dead in foreign countries, and each case has deepened suspicion without producing a courtroom reckoning. A beheading is unusually brutal even by the grim standards of political killings, and it puts fresh pressure on Uganda — which hosted Kabera as a refugee — to show it can protect dissidents on its soil. For Western governments that partner with Kigali, the case is awkward: how loudly they respond will say a lot about how much political cost a killing like this still carries.
What Happens Next
Ugandan police are investigating, with detectives from Kampala assisting officers in Kamengo. The immediate questions are basic: who killed Kabera, where is his head, and was anyone else involved. The harder question is whether the investigation goes anywhere — past killings of Rwandan exiles have produced accusations and arrest warrants but few convictions. Whether Kampala pursues the case aggressively, and whether Kigali cooperates or even comments, will determine whether this becomes another unsolved entry in the pattern or something different.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Kabera, 50, a former Rwandan soldier and Kagame critic with 144,000 YouTube subscribers, was found beheaded near Kampala on October 17; his head is still missing.
- Police say the murder likely happened late October 16 or early October 17; a large stick, beer bottles and shoes were recovered at the scene.
- Kabera fled Rwanda in 2020, sought protection in Uganda in 2021, and reported a 2023 attack in which men allegedly threatened to kill him "even if you run to America".
- His brother blames Kigali; Rwanda's government had not commented as of Monday. No arrests have been announced.
- The killing fits a pattern of Rwandan exiles murdered abroad, including Patrick Karegeya in South Africa in 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Robert Kabera?
Robert Kabera, 50, was a former Rwandan army sergeant — popularly known as "Sergeant Robert" — who served as an instructor and soloist with the Rwanda Defence Force Army Jazz Band. After fleeing Rwanda for Uganda in 2020, he became a musician and YouTuber whose channel "Major Robert TV" gained over 144,000 subscribers with videos criticising President Paul Kagame.
How was Robert Kabera killed?
His headless body was found on Saturday, October 17, at a eucalyptus plantation in Luwala village, Mpigi district, about 45 kilometres from Kampala, where he was building a house. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the murder likely took place late on October 16 or early October 17, and that Kabera's head had still not been recovered as of Monday.
Why did Kabera leave Rwanda?
Kabera fled Rwanda for Uganda in November 2020 with his wife, saying he feared for his safety. Rwanda's military prosecution accused him of sexually assaulting a teenage family member, which he denied as politically motivated. In September 2021 he wrote to Ugandan authorities seeking protection, saying the accusations were politically driven and that he feared for his life.
Did Kabera receive threats before his death?
Yes. In October 2023, three men attacked him on Rubaga Road in Kampala and fled in a black car without number plates, according to a village chairperson's letter to police seen by The Observer. The men reportedly told him: "Even if you run to America, we will find you and kill you."
Who does his family blame for the killing?
His brother Victor Agaba told AFP that Kabera "had no issues with anyone" in Uganda and said: "Our problem comes from home… The army created a criminal case against him. It was a witch hunt." AFP noted that Rwandan authorities have been accused of assassinating opponents of President Kagame — an allegation, not a proven fact.
Have other Rwandan critics been killed in exile?
Yes. Former intelligence chief Patrick Karegeya was strangled in a Johannesburg hotel in 2014; South Africa issued arrest warrants for two Rwandans in 2019. In 2021, ex-army lieutenant Revocant Karemangingo was shot dead in Mozambique and opponent Seif Bamporiki was gunned down in South Africa. Ex-general Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa has survived several assassination attempts.
What is the Rwanda National Congress demanding?
The exiled opposition group called for a thorough investigation and for those responsible to be brought to justice. In a statement on X it said: "Today, his family is grieving, his voice is gone, and Rwandans in exile are confronting a terrifying question: where can we be safe?"
By GlobalDeskNews Staff
Sources
- AFP, "Critic of Rwanda President Kagame beheaded in Uganda," via Vanguard News, October 19, 2026 — vanguardngr.com
- BBC, via Punch Newspapers, "Rwandan ex-officer critical of Kagame found dead in Uganda," October 19, 2026 — punchng.com
- The Observer (Uganda), "Rwandan ex-soldier, government critic beheaded in Uganda" — observer.ug