Veteran Ugandan musician and Afrigo Band founder Moses Matovu has died after an attack in Kampala, bringing an end to a career spanning nearly six decades.
Matovu, 77, was attacked at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division in the early hours of Thursday, September 24, 2026. He was rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a boda-boda rider but later succumbed to his injuries.
Kabalagala Police opened a suspected murder case and deployed a task team to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Police said a woman who was with Matovu before the attack had been arrested to assist with the investigation. A male suspect has also been identified and is believed to have fled the scene.
Preliminary police findings indicate that Matovu had gone to the woman’s residence at about 5:30am and was leaving with her when they encountered the man, who police said had previously been in a relationship with the woman.
A confrontation followed, although authorities said the exact circumstances leading to Matovu’s injuries were still being established.
As investigators pursue the case, arrangements have been announced for Matovu’s final rites.
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Muslim funeral prayers, or Salat al-Janazah, are scheduled for 4pm on Thursday at Kibuli, while mourners will gather at the National Theatre later in the evening. A vigil will subsequently be held in Kyanja.
Matovu will be buried at 4pm on Friday, September 25, at his family’s ancestral grounds in Kyanja.
The veteran musician was born in Kampala on June 19, 1949, and began his professional music career in the 1960s. He performed with the Thunderbirds Band before joining the Police Band and later the Cranes Band.
Following the collapse of the Cranes Band, Matovu and other musicians founded Afrigo Band in Kampala on August 31, 1975. He went on to become the group’s longtime leader, saxophonist, vocalist and composer.
Afrigo Band became one of Uganda’s longest-running live music groups, with Matovu remaining one of its defining figures for decades.
His death has triggered an outpouring of grief among fellow musicians, friends and admirers, many of whom gathered at Kibuli Hospital after news of his death emerged.
Police said investigations are continuing as detectives work to establish the full circumstances of the attack and apprehend the outstanding suspect.