By Infora Media
Veteran musician and Afrigo Band leader Moses Matovu has died after he was attacked by unidentified assailants in Kampala on Thursday morning.
Matovu, 77, was attacked at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division, according to police. He was rushed to Kibuli Hospital for treatment but later succumbed to his injuries.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala said Kabalagala Police Station had opened a case of suspected murder following the incident.
“Police at Kabalagala have registered a case of suspected murder involving Matovu Moses, a musician with Afrigo Band,” Ms Kawala said.
Police said Matovu was attacked by unknown assailants on Thursday morning, September 24, 2026. A task team was subsequently deployed to the scene to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those responsible.
Preliminary reports indicate that Matovu was attacked as he made his way to a mosque for morning prayers. However, police had not, by press time, disclosed the motive for the attack, the number of assailants or whether any suspects had been arrested.
The death marks the end of a music career spanning nearly six decades and one closely associated with the growth and survival of Uganda’s live-band music tradition.
Matovu was among the musicians who founded Afrigo Band in 1975 following the collapse of Cranes Band. He went on to serve as the group’s leader, vocalist, saxophonist and composer for decades.
Born on June 19, 1949, in Kawempe, Kampala, Matovu began his professional music career in the 1960s. He performed with several bands before joining other musicians to establish Afrigo, which later became one of Uganda’s longest-running and most influential musical groups.
Through his leadership, Matovu helped Afrigo Band remain active across generations, nurturing younger musicians while maintaining the group’s distinctive live-performance tradition.
The band marked 50 years in the music industry in 2025, cementing its place in Uganda’s cultural history.
Police investigations into Matovu’s death are ongoing, with efforts underway to identify and apprehend the suspected assailants.
More details will follow as investigations progress.