Staff
Veteran Ugandan musician and Afrigo Band founder Moses Matovu has died at the age of 77 after he was attacked by unidentified assailants in Kibuli, Kampala, on Thursday morning.
Matovu was reportedly attacked at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division and was rushed to Kibuli Hospital for treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala confirmed that Kabalagala Police 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,” Kawala said.
According to police, Matovu was allegedly attacked by unknown assailants on September 24, 2026. A police task team was subsequently deployed to the scene to establish what happened and trace those responsible.
Preliminary reports indicate that the musician was attacked around the time he was heading for morning prayers, although police have not disclosed the motive, number of attackers or weapon allegedly used.
Police Investigate Circumstances of Attack
The circumstances surrounding Matovu’s final moments remain unclear as investigations continue.
Some reports circulating online have linked the attack to an alleged dispute involving a woman and another man. However, those claims have not been independently established, and police have not publicly identified such a dispute as the motive behind the attack.
Kawala said investigators were working to identify and apprehend the suspected assailants.
“Our task team is currently at the scene conducting investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Efforts are also underway to identify and apprehend the suspected assailants,” she said.
No suspect had been publicly identified or arrested at the time of the latest reports.
A Five-Decade Afrigo Legacy
Matovu leaves behind a career that stretched across nearly six decades and was closely associated with the history of Uganda’s live-band music.
Born on June 19, 1949, in Kawempe, Kampala, Matovu entered professional music in the 1960s before becoming one of the musicians who established Afrigo Band in 1975.
As a vocalist, saxophonist, composer and bandleader, he remained central to the group for decades and helped guide Afrigo through generations of changing musical tastes.
Afrigo Band went on to become one of Uganda’s longest-running and most influential live music groups, with Matovu serving as one of its defining figures.
His death brings to an end the career of one of the musicians most closely associated with Uganda’s live-band tradition.
The woman said to be centre of Moses Matovu’s death pic.twitter.com/rptf9pVDFB
— BigEyeUG (@BigEyeUG) September 24, 2026
Police investigations into the circumstances of his death are ongoing.
