UGANDA · SECURITY
Key Facts
- —The country Uganda is a landlocked East African state of about 46 million people. It borders Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo and South Sudan.
- —What happened Police registered a murder case after villagers found the headless body of Robert Kabera, a 50-year-old Rwandan exile, in Mpigi district on Saturday 17 October.
- —The victim Kabera was a Rwandan army sergeant major and musician. He fled to Uganda in November 2020, saying people wanted him dead.
- —The police account Spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said on Monday 19 October that the head had not been recovered and that no motive had been established.
- —The setting Rwanda and Uganda are neighbours. The United States is pressing Rwanda over its troops in eastern DR Congo.
- —Still open No suspect has been named, no arrest has been reported and Rwanda’s government has made no public statement.
Police in Uganda are investigating the beheading of Robert Kabera, a 50-year-old Rwandan exile and former soldier. His headless body was found on Saturday 17 October in Mpigi district, near Kampala, the capital.
Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke confirmed the murder case on Monday 19 October, according to Nile Post, a Ugandan news site. For American readers it touches the safety of exiles and the peace deal Washington brokered between Rwanda and DR Congo.
What Ugandan Police Said on Monday
Rusoke told journalists on Monday 19 October that a murder case had been registered, Nile Post reported. “We recovered the body minus the head,” he said, adding that relatives had identified the dead man as Robert Kabera.
Villagers found the remains on Saturday morning in Luwala village, in Kammengo sub-county, Mpigi district, and alerted officers. Police believe the killing took place on the night of Friday 16 October or in the early hours of Saturday 17 October.
The body was taken to the Mulago City Mortuary in Kampala, and the head has not been found. Rusoke said detectives are examining the killing and “any other details relevant to the murder,” including how Kabera lived.
Who Robert Kabera Was
Kabera, 50, was a sergeant major in the Rwanda Defence Forces, the national army. The Daily Monitor reported in 2020 that he was an army instructor, a member of the military band and a musician.
The Nile Post and the Daily Monitor, both Ugandan outlets, call the Rwandan exile a critic of President Paul Kagame. Kagame has led Rwanda since 2000, and the Monitor adds that the killing has alarmed several Rwandan refugees in Uganda.
Why He Left Rwanda in 2020
Kabera told the Daily Monitor in an interview published on Wednesday 25 November 2020 that he had crossed into Uganda on 19 November. “I am in Uganda seeking refuge from those who are after my life,” he said.
He said his troubles began with his friendship with the late gospel singer Kizito Mihigo, who died in a Rwandan police cell in February 2020. He also said he is related to the family of Fred Rwigema, the first commander of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, which now governs Rwanda.
Uganda and Rwanda, Two Neighbours With History
Uganda and Rwanda share a border and sit together in the East African Community, a regional trade bloc. The two governments have a long and sometimes tense relationship, and Uganda’s neighbours shape its trade, politics and security.
Uganda hosts many refugees, including Rwandans who say they cannot return home. Police and refugee communities will now watch whether the inquiry points to a personal, criminal or political motive.
What It Means for US Readers
Washington is closely involved in Rwanda’s ties with its neighbours. President Donald Trump hosted the signing of the Washington Accords between Rwanda and DR Congo on 4 December 2025.
Washington has backed Congo’s call for Rwandan troops to withdraw from the east of the country. Any government link to this killing would add strain, but police have named no suspect or motive.
What Is Not Known
Police have not said who killed the Rwandan exile, why, or whether the killing is linked to his criticism of the Rwandan president. No arrests have been announced, and the head has not been recovered.
Rwanda’s government has made no public statement on the case. It is also unclear whether Ugandan police will seek help from other countries or whether the family will receive protection.
More: Uganda news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Robert Kabera?
Robert Kabera, 50, was a Rwandan exile, a sergeant major in the Rwanda Defence Forces and a musician. He fled to Uganda in November 2020 and told the Daily Monitor he feared for his life.
Where and when was the body found?
Villagers found the headless body on Saturday morning, 17 October, in Luwala village, Kammengo sub-county, Mpigi district. Police believe he was killed on the night of 16 October or in the early hours of 17 October.
What have Ugandan police said about the motive?
Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said on Monday 19 October that a murder case is open and detectives are examining all relevant details. Police have not named a motive or a suspect.
Has Rwanda commented on the killing?
No Rwandan government statement has been reported in the Ugandan coverage of the case. The Nile Post describes Kabera as a critic of President Paul Kagame’s leadership.
Why does the case matter to the United States?
The United States brokered the Washington Accords between Rwanda and DR Congo and backs Congo’s call for Rwandan troops to leave. A case that strains Rwanda’s relations in the region could complicate that diplomacy.
Sources: Nile Post, 19 October 2026; Daily Monitor, 19 October 2026; Daily Monitor, 19 October 2026; Daily Monitor, 25 November 2020.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief