By Aggrey Baba
President Museveni’s assistant on press and mobilization, Hajji Farouk Kirunda, has joined the public in mourning veteran musician Moses Matovu, describing his death as another painful blow to Uganda’s cultural fraternity coming barely after the country lost celebrated theatre icon Alex Mukulu.
Kirunda, in hist tribute posted on X, said the loss of Matovu so soon after Mukulu was too much to bear, as tributes continued to pour in for an artiste whose career stretched back to the 1960s and whose name became inseparable from the history of Afrigo Band and the entire music industry.
“The tragic loss of Moses Matovu soon after losing Alex Mukulu is too much to bear,” Kirunda said.
But while the country mourns Matovu, the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, with different accounts emerging as police investigate what happened in the early hours of Thursday in Kibuli, Kampala.
The first account that emerged was that Matovu, 77, had been attacked by unidentified assailants at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division before being rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a sympathizing bodaboda rider, where he later died from the injuries.
Police initially treated the incident as a suspected murder, with investigators deployed to establish what had happened and identify those responsible.
A second account has since emerged from preliminary police investigations, pointing to a possible physical confrontation involving a woman.
According to Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala, Matovu had reportedly gone to the residence of a woman at about 5:30am and, as the two were leaving, they allegedly encountered a man who had previously been in a relationship with the same woman.
Police said a physical altercation may have followed, during which Matovu sustained serious head injuries.
The woman alleged to have been with the legendary saxophonist has been arrested and is assisting investigators, while police say the male suspect has been identified and is believed to have fled. Kawala, however, stressed that the exact circumstances surrounding the confrontation and Matovu’s subsequent death had not yet been established.
The emerging account has also been echoed by some eyewitness and local accounts alleging that Matovu was involved in a fight with a man over a woman. One eyewitness account claimed the confrontation escalated after Matovu had escorted the woman to her rented residence.
Those claims remain allegations and have not independently established the motive or the exact sequence of events. Police themselves have urged the public to allow them to verify the different accounts before conclusions are drawn.
The death has left Uganda mourning the death of a musician whose career had already become part of the country’s entertainment history.
Matovu began doing professional music in the 1960s and went on to spend decades at the centre of Uganda’s live-band music tradition.
He eventually became one of the defining figures of Afrigo Band, serving as its leader, saxophonist, vocalist and composer. The band, which he helped establish in 1975, went on to become one of Uganda’s longest-running musical institutions.
Matovu’s importance, for Hajji Kirunda, went beyond the songs and performances that made him famous.
He said the veteran musician had maintained a unique style and standard throughout his long career, while avoiding the controversies that have often accompanied the entertainment industry.
He also mentored younger artistes, passing on experience and professional standards to generations that followed him.
It was this combination of longevity, discipline, talent and mentorship that made him, in Hajji Kirunda Farouk’s view, a major attraction at Afrigo and a figure whose influence extended far beyond the stage.
Kirunda said that Matovu leaves behind a legacy that young Ugandan entertainers can emulate, particularly at a time when the music industry is rapidly changing.
His death represents more than the loss of an individual performer.l, but marks the departure of one of the musicians who helped carry Uganda’s live-band tradition across generations.
For Kirunda, the circumstances surrounding Matovu’s death make the loss even more painful.
He said the killers had robbed the country of an “irreplaceable gem”, as investigators continue piecing together what happened at Kibuli and who should ultimately be held responsible.
The grief also comes shortly after Uganda lost Alex Mukulu, another veteran whose theatrical work left a significant mark on the country’s entertainment industry. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
