Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has suggested that the murder of Rwandan dissident Sergeant Major Robert Kabera could be linked to the arrest of former military intelligence chief Maj Gen Abel Kandiho, raising a new possible motive in the ongoing investigation.
Muhoozi made the suggestion on Tuesday, expressing suspicion that elements within the Rwanda National Congress (RNC), an opposition movement associated with exiled former Rwandan army chief Kayumba Nyamwasa, could have been involved in Kabera’s killing.
“I highly suspect that certain elements of Kayumba’s RNC were responsible. Are they retaliating for Kandiho’s arrest? We shall get to the truth,” Muhoozi wrote in a post on X.
However, the military chief did not provide evidence linking the RNC to the killing or explain how Kandiho’s arrest might have been connected to the case.
He also said his office had not been notified about Kabera, introducing questions about the handling of information surrounding the former Rwandan soldier.
Headless Body Discovered in Mpigi
Kabera’s headless body was discovered by residents in Luwala Village, Kamengo Sub-county, Mpigi District, on October 17.
Police said relatives had identified the deceased, estimated to be about 50 years old, although scientific tests were expected to provide further confirmation of his identity.
Kabera, a former Rwanda Defence Force soldier, military instructor and musician popularly known as Sergeant Robert, fled Rwanda in November 2020, citing persecution.
Human Rights Watch subsequently documented concerns about his security and reported that Ugandan police had confirmed he was granted asylum on grounds of political persecution.
His killing has drawn attention to the security of Rwandan exiles living in Uganda and the circumstances surrounding the deaths of individuals who have fled their home country.
Kandiho’s Arrest Raises Questions
Muhoozi’s suggestion comes weeks after the arrest of Kandiho, who previously headed Uganda’s Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence, now known as Defence Intelligence and Security.
Kandiho and retired Brig Gen Charles Bakahumura, another former intelligence chief, were arrested on September 9, weeks after retiring from the army.
Reports linked their detention to investigations into alleged false intelligence reports and security-related offences. However, the precise circumstances surrounding their arrests and the status of the investigations remain important to understanding the context of Muhoozi’s remarks.
Kandiho led Uganda’s military intelligence from 2017 until January 2022, when he was replaced by Maj Gen James Birungi.
He later served as chief of joint staff in the Uganda Police Force before receiving a presidential advisory appointment in 2024.
Muhoozi’s comments raise the possibility of a connection between Kandiho’s arrest and Kabera’s murder, but no publicly presented evidence in the statement establishes such a link.
What Is the Rwanda National Congress?
The Rwanda National Congress was founded in 2010 by former senior Rwandan officials, including Kayumba Nyamwasa, and operates as an opposition movement in exile against President Paul Kagame’s government.
Its founding declaration advocated political change through peaceful means.
However, United Nations experts have documented an armed movement associated with the RNC in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. A 2020 report described the P5 movement as the RNC’s armed branch and documented recruitment and military activity.
Nyamwasa has acknowledged his role in the RNC but denied leading the military group identified by the UN experts.
The distinction is significant because Muhoozi’s accusation specifically refers to suspected involvement by certain elements within the RNC. He has not identified the individuals he suspects or provided details supporting the allegation.
RNC Calls for Investigation
In a statement issued on October 18, before Muhoozi’s accusation, the RNC appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to ensure an investigation into Kabera’s death and strengthen protection for Rwandan exiles living in Uganda.
The organisation also stated that Kabera was not a member of the RNC.
Its appeal preceded Muhoozi’s public suggestion that elements within the group could have been responsible for the killing.
The competing developments place renewed focus on the investigation, including the need to establish who killed Kabera, the motive behind the crime and whether any individuals or organisations were involved.
Investigation Yet to Establish Motive
Muhoozi’s remarks introduce a possible motive that had not been established in the earlier police account of Kabera’s death.
Nevertheless, the suggestion that the murder was retaliation for Kandiho’s arrest remains an unsubstantiated suspicion rather than an established finding.
Investigators will need to establish the circumstances of the killing and determine whether there is any evidence connecting it to the arrest, the RNC or other possible motives.
For now, the relationship between Kabera’s murder, Kandiho’s arrest and Muhoozi’s allegations remains unclear.
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