Ugandan police have launched an investigation into the killing of Robert Kabera, a former Rwandan soldier and outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame, whose beheaded body was discovered in Mpigi District near the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

The police told the Associated Press (AP) on Monday that Kabera’s head had not been recovered, while investigators were yet to establish the motive for the killing.

Kabera, who fled Rwanda in 2020, had since used social media platforms to criticise the Rwandan government, placing his death in the spotlight amid longstanding concerns over the safety of government critics and political opponents in the region.

Before leaving Rwanda, Kabera served in the Rwanda Defence Forces and was also associated with the military’s Army Jazz Band.

A 2008 profile published by Rwanda’s New Times newspaper, cited by AP, identified him as a member of the band.

His killing is expected to renew scrutiny of allegations by human rights groups and critics that opponents of the Rwandan government face intimidation and other forms of persecution.

However, Rwandan authorities have repeatedly denied targeting political opponents, maintaining that the government operates within the rule of law.

Ugandan police have not publicly established whether Kabera’s past military service, his criticism of Kagame’s administration or any other factor was connected to his death.

Investigations are continuing as authorities seek to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing and locate the missing head.

The case adds to concerns about the security of exiled critics of governments in the region, although no evidence has yet been presented linking Kabera’s death to his political views or implicating any individual or government in the killing.