The remaining members of Afrigo Band have pledged to keep the more than 50-year-old group together following the death of its leader, Moses Matovu.
Speaking at Matovu’s burial at the family’s ancestral grounds in Kyanja, Afrigo director James Wasula said the band would preserve Matovu’s legacy by maintaining the standards he established and ensuring the group continues for generations.
Wasula said Matovu’s greatest dream was to see Afrigo survive the challenges facing the band and the changing music industry.
He said the death of the veteran musician had left the band in shock but pledged to carry forward his vision.
“I am lost for words over this loss and shock we have faced, but I can make one promise to protect and preserve our father’s biggest dream, that Afrigo Band continues even when none of us is here. We promise Ugandans and all our fans around the world that this band will continue at the high standard it has always had, and even better,” Wasula said.
Wasula said he was so affected by the news of Matovu’s death that he was admitted to hospital before forcing himself to attend the burial.
“When I heard the news of the death of our top leader, my blood pressure shot up, and since yesterday I was admitted to hospital until this morning when it normalized a bit, and I forced myself to attend the burial of Moses Matovu,” he said.
Herman Ssewanyana, Afrigo’s percussionist, said he first met Matovu in 1974 in Kibuli, when the band was still in its early years.
Ssewanyana said their close relationship as village mates helped him join Afrigo, but he credited Matovu’s management style and commitment to teamwork for keeping the band together for decades.
“Teamwork has been our greatest weapon. He never made any decision without getting approval from all of us. He was never the person who micromanages or talks about you when you are not around. We would agree on something together; once one refused, we abandoned it together. These are things that have kept us going. Unfortunately, we have lost someone who is irreplaceable,” Ssewanyana said.
He revealed that before his death, Matovu had assigned responsibilities to individual members of the band, which he said provides a foundation for continuity.
Ssewanyana pledged to keep the group together and called on Afrigo supporters to continue supporting the band.
Another Afrigo member, Eddie Yawe, recalled how Matovu supported him when he was still a young musician and helped reshape his career.Yawe described Matovu as a mentor who nurtured many talents in Uganda’s music industry.
In a joint tribute read by Rachael Magola, Afrigo members said many of them had spent decades with the band and that their shared history would remain with them for a lifetime.
The members described their five decades in Afrigo as a journey of rehearsals, music, travel, challenges and triumphs, with Matovu at the centre of the group.
The tribute also recognized the people who worked behind the scenes to keep Afrigo performing, including those who carried equipment, operated sound systems, drove the musicians and supported the band through difficult periods.
Government officials who attended the burial also called for Afrigo to preserve its legacy.
Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala said Matovu had nurtured hundreds of talents and urged people in the entertainment industry and other fields to emulate his support for young talent.
Katumba also appealed to Afrigo fans to continue supporting the band and urged its remaining members to avoid internal disagreements that could threaten its survival.
Matovu, 77, was killed on Thursday morning in Kibuli following a confrontation involving the alleged boyfriend of a woman he had visited.
Police arrested 41-year-old Nsamba Vincent, who is being held as investigations into the circumstances surrounding Matovu’s death continue-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
