The Robert Kabera killing shows exile is no shelter from a long arm: opinion

This is an opinion column based on verified reporting.

The Robert Kabera killing should trouble every government that hosts exiles. A body was found in Luwala, a village near Kampala, Uganda. The head has not been recovered.

Relatives identified the dead man as Robert Kabera, about 50, a former sergeant who fled Rwanda years ago. He ran a YouTube channel with 144,000 subscribers. He had grown steadily more critical of President Paul Kagame, AFP reported.

Police believe he died late on 16 October or early on 17 October. A spokesperson said they are investigating the murder of a man whose head was cut off.

A pattern we cannot ignore

No one has been charged. Nobody has proved who did this. Those facts matter, and we must state them plainly.

But the context is public. Rwandan authorities have been accused of killing opponents abroad. Revocat Karemangingo was shot dead in Mozambique in 2021. Seif Bamporiki was shot dead in South Africa that year. Patrick Karegeya, a former intelligence chief, was strangled in a South African hotel in 2014.

Mr Kabera’s brother blames the Rwandan army. He says he was targeted for his criticism. Kigali’s side was not in the report we reviewed. Allegations remain allegations.

What host states owe exiles

A government that welcomes dissidents takes on a duty. It must investigate swiftly, publish its findings and protect others at risk. Silence invites the next attack.

Free thought depends on the freedom to criticise power without fear. That freedom cannot stop at a border. Exiled bloggers and critics from many countries face the same danger.

We have written before on how states reach abroad to silence critics, including in our piece on Pegasus surveillance.

Uganda should find the killers and tell the public what it learns.

Journalists and online critics deserve protection wherever they live.

Fact basis: Al Jazeera / AFP (20 October 2026). The views expressed are the writer’s own.