Veteran Ugandan musician and Afrigo Band boss Moses Matovu has been killed in a suspected murder in Kampala, bringing to a tragic end the life of one of the country’s most enduring figures in live-band music.
Matovu, who was aged 77, was attacked on the morning of Thursday, September 24, 2026, by unknown assailants at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division, Kampala District.
The musician was rushed to Kibuli Hospital for medical attention but later succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the attack.
Confirming the death, Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the matter had been formally opened as a murder case.
“Police at Kabalagala have registered a case of suspected murder involving Matovu Moses, a musician with Afrigo Band,” Kawala said.
According to police, Matovu was attacked earlier in the morning, although the circumstances surrounding the assault and the motive remain unclear.
“Moses was allegedly attacked this morning 24.09.2026 by unknown assailants at Kibuli Market Zone B, in Makindye Division, Kampala District,” Kawala said.
The veteran musician was taken to Kibuli Hospital shortly after the attack as efforts were made to save his life.
“He was rushed to Kibuli Hospital for medical attention, where he later succumbed to his injuries,” Kawala said.
Preliminary information indicates that Matovu was on his way to a mosque for morning prayers when he was attacked.
Police have since dispatched a task team to the scene as investigators begin working to reconstruct the events leading to the musician’s death.
“Our task team is currently at the scene conducting investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Kawala said.
The investigation is also expected to focus on identifying the people behind the attack and determining what may have motivated them.
“Efforts are also underway to identify and apprehend the suspected assailants,” Kawala added.
Police have not announced any arrests in connection with the killing.
Kawala said investigators would provide more information as the inquiry progresses.
“More details will be shared as the investigation progresses,” she said.
A giant of Uganda’s live-band era
Matovu’s death marks the loss of one of the musicians most closely associated with Uganda’s live-band tradition.
He entered the music industry in the 1960s, initially performing with the Thunderbirds Band before moving to the Police Band and later the Cranes Band.
Following the collapse of the Cranes Band, Matovu and other musicians founded Afrigo Band in 1975.
The group went on to become one of Uganda’s longest-running and most influential live bands, surviving several generations of musical change while maintaining a strong presence on the country’s entertainment scene.
Matovu remained at the heart of Afrigo Band for decades, serving as its leader while also contributing as a saxophonist, vocalist and composer.
His career stretched across nearly six decades, making him one of the most recognisable figures in Uganda’s live-band music history.
Matovu was born on June 19, 1949, in Kawempe, Kampala, to the late Abdallah Bukenya bin Adam and Solome Nakitto.
Through his music, he became part of a generation that helped establish and preserve Uganda’s live-band tradition, with Afrigo eventually becoming one of the country’s most enduring musical institutions.
His death comes as police begin an investigation into the circumstances of his final hours.
Murder in Uganda
Matovu’s killing comes against the backdrop of Uganda’s wider problem of deaths resulting from homicide and road traffic incidents.
The 2025 Police Annual Crime Report recorded 9,651 deaths under the two categories, compared with 9,749 deaths recorded in 2024.
For now, police are focused on establishing what happened at Kibuli Market Zone B, identifying the people responsible and determining the circumstances surrounding the attack.
For Uganda’s music fraternity, Matovu’s death marks the departure of a musician whose name had become inseparable from Afrigo Band and the country’s live-band tradition.
May his soul rest in peace.
