MPIGI, Uganda — A former Rwandan soldier and government critic has been found beheaded in central Uganda, raising fresh concerns about the safety of Rwandan exiles living in the country as police investigate the killing.
Sgt Maj Robert Kabera, 50, popularly known as “Sergeant Robert”, was found dead in Luwala Village, Kammengo Sub-county, Mpigi District, on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
According to Uganda’s Daily Monitor, residents discovered his headless body in the area, where he had been constructing a house. His brother identified him using his shoes, which were found at the scene, and a scar on his right thumb, Katonga Police Region spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe said.
The body was taken to a mortuary in Kampala for further examination and investigation. Police had not announced any arrests in connection with the killing at the time of the report.
Kabera’s death has drawn attention to the security of Rwandan dissidents and refugees in Uganda, where he had lived since fleeing Rwanda in November 2020.
Police reconstruct Kabera’s final movements
According to the account given to police by Kabera’s family, he returned to Luwala from Kampala on Friday evening, October 16, accompanied by a boda boda rider identified as Innocent, whom he regularly used for transport.
He reportedly greeted his brother Oscar, with whom he lived, before going to a nearby bar with the rider.
Police spokesperson Tumushabe said Kabera later returned home to collect his phone before leaving again. He subsequently returned at around midnight to bring food home and then went out once more.
The following morning, his brother Victor Agaba went looking for him after finding the house locked. A bar attendant reportedly told him Kabera had last been seen at approximately 9.30pm.
Agaba initially suspected that his brother might have spent the night at a lodge. He later received information from local authorities that an unidentified body without a head had been discovered in the neighbourhood.
He went to the scene and identified the deceased as Kabera.
The differing accounts of when Kabera was last seen are among the details investigators will need to reconcile as they establish his final movements and the circumstances surrounding his death.
In a separate report published on Monday, October 19, Ugandan news outlet ChimpReports said investigators were seeking to locate the boda boda rider, Innocent, to help establish what happened before Kabera’s death.
The report did not establish that the rider was responsible for the killing, and no such conclusion has been confirmed by police.
Who was Robert Kabera?
Kabera was a former member of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) who became known both for his military service and his music.
He served as an instructor and soloist with the RDF Army Jazz Band, where he performed under the name Sergeant Robert. His music made him familiar to audiences in Rwanda, including through performances at national events.
He left Rwanda for Uganda in November 2020 and later became an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame’s government.
Kabera had previously expressed fears for his safety. In 2021, he told Human Rights Watch that he had faced harassment and threats and that he had moved between locations to avoid being found. He also alleged that Rwandan authorities had sought his return to Rwanda.
Human Rights Watch reported that Uganda’s then Inspector General of Police, Martins Okoth Ochola, had said Kabera was granted asylum on the basis of his claims of political persecution and was receiving additional police protection.
The rights organisation has documented other cases involving Rwandan exiles who reported threats, disappearances or suspicious deaths outside Rwanda. However, that wider history does not establish who killed Kabera or why he was targeted.
Dispute over allegations that preceded his flight
Kabera’s departure from Rwanda followed an investigation announced by the RDF’s Military Prosecution Department in November 2020 into allegations of sexual abuse involving a 15-year-old family member.
Kabera denied the allegations in an interview with Uganda’s Daily Monitor, describing them as fabricated and disputing the reported timeline of the alleged offence.
The circumstances surrounding those allegations are separate from the investigation into his death. No evidence publicly established that they were connected to the killing.
In May 2022, Kabera was reportedly arrested in Uganda during a security operation at his residence over alleged unlawful possession of a firearm. Reports at the time said he was later released on police bond.
His history of public criticism of the Rwandan government and his earlier concerns about his security are relevant background, but investigators have yet to establish whether his political activities played any role in his death.
Questions remain over motive and responsibility
The circumstances of Kabera’s killing remain unclear. Police have not publicly established who carried out the attack, why he was killed or whether the crime was connected to his political views.
ChimpReports reported that investigators recovered a large stick suspected of being used in an assault, alongside two beer bottles and the deceased’s shoes. These items may help investigators reconstruct the events, but their significance has not been established publicly.
The Rwanda National Congress, an opposition group in exile, issued a statement on October 18 appealing to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to ensure justice for Kabera and stronger protection for Rwandans living in Uganda.
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The organisation called for an investigation into the killing and urged authorities to examine any previous requests for protection.
The appeal reflects concerns within sections of the Rwandan exile community, but it does not establish responsibility for the crime.
Ugandan authorities face the task of establishing the sequence of events leading to Kabera’s death, identifying those responsible and determining whether the killing was motivated by a personal dispute, criminal activity or another factor.
Until investigators establish the facts, any claim that the murder was ordered by a government or carried out because of Kabera’s political criticism remains unproven.
For Rwandan refugees and dissidents living in Uganda, the killing has renewed questions about personal security and the protection available to people who say they fear persecution in their country of origin.
