Aimable Uzaramba Karasira, the Rwandan YouTuber, former university lecturer, musician, and outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame’s government, died on May 7, 2026, the very day he completed his five-year prison sentence. He was in the final stages of release from Nyarugenge Prison.

Official Announcement

The Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS) stated that Karasira died at Nyarugenge Hospital after ingesting an excessive dose of his prescribed medication. Officials described it as a suspected overdose linked to his pre-existing mental health issues, diabetes, and high blood pressure. He had reportedly signed his release papers the previous afternoon and was waiting for his personal effects and family pickup when the incident occurred. Prison staff intervened but were unable to prevent his transfer to the hospital, where he passed away.

How Rwandan Critics Are Accusing Kagame and the Government of Killing Him

Rwandan opposition figures, diaspora activists, human rights groups, and thousands of voices on social media have overwhelmingly rejected the official “overdose” narrative as a blatant cover-up. They accuse the Kagame regime of directly assassinating Karasira through a staged medication overdose, or forced poisoning, while he was still under state custody during the release process. Here’s exactly how critics are framing the killing, based on the flood of updates and accusations since the announcement:

Suspicious Timing as Proof of Execution: Karasira had just finished his full sentence and was hours away from walking free. Critics argue the regime had no reason to keep him locked up any longer but feared the damage he could do outside prison, exposing alleged torture, prison conditions, and RPF crimes. “They killed him the moment he was about to be released,” is the dominant claim. Many point out he was reportedly healthy and in good spirits when he signed release papers the day before.

Classic “Overdose/Suicide” Cover-Up Method: Critics say the government used the same playbook as in previous cases: administer (or force) a lethal dose of medication or poison, then blame the victim’s “mental health” or “suicide.” They note Karasira had publicly discussed past suicidal thoughts years earlier (2019 videos), but insist he was not suicidal now and that prison authorities controlled his medication. The sudden “excessive dose” right before freedom is seen as too convenient. Posts explicitly call it “execution disguised as overdose.”

Long Pattern of Eliminating Critics: This fits a documented series of suspicious deaths of Kagame opponents: Gospel singer Kizito Mihigo (2020): Died in police custody, official “suicide,” widely believed to be murder.

Rapper Jay Polly (in prison): Claimed death by “toxic substances.” Other critics: mysterious “accidents,” poisonings, or disappearances abroad and at home. Critics list Karasira alongside these as the latest victim of Kagame’s “slaughterhouse”, Nyarugenge Prison itself.

Karasira’s Direct Threat to the Regime: As a Tutsi genocide survivor, he repeatedly accused RPF forces (under Kagame) of killing his own parents, siblings, and other family members in 1994 and after. On his YouTube channel, Ukuri Mbona, he challenged official genocide narratives, exposed alleged RPF atrocities against Hutus and others, and slammed “divisionism” laws used to silence dissent. He had previously reported being tortured in prison (beatings, sleep deprivation, denial of diabetes and mental health meds), claims backed by Human Rights Watch. Releasing him risked him going public again with even more evidence.