POLICE: Woman arrested as investigation of Moses Matovu murder starts

Kampala, Uganda | URN | Veteran musician and Afrigo Band icon Moses Matovu has died after he was attacked by unidentified assailants in Kampala. Matovu breathed his last at Kibuli Hospital on Thursday morning, where he had been rushed following the attack.

Preliminary investigations indicate that at approximately 5:30 a.m.,at Kibuli Depot in Makindye Division, Kampala District, the deceased went to the residence of his girlfriend. It is alleged that as he and the lady were leaving the residence, they were confronted by a male suspect who is also alleged to have previously been in a relationship with the same lady.

Following the arrest of the female who was in the company of the deceased, preliminary information indicates that the incident may have arisen from a physical altercation. However, the exact circumstances surrounding the confrontation and subsequent death are yet to be fully established.

The deceased sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a boda boda rider, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The female suspect remains in police custody and is assisting detectives with the ongoing investigations. The male suspect has been positively identified and is believed to have fled the scene. Police are actively pursuing him to facilitate his arrest and assist in establishing the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

Investigators are continuing to verify the various accounts surrounding the incident, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

“We call upon members of the public to remain calm and allow investigators to conduct their work without interference. We assure the public that all necessary steps are being taken to apprehend the suspect and establish the facts of the matter.We extend our sincere condolences to the family, friends, colleagues and fans of Matovu Moses during this difficult time,” Police said in a statement.

Matovu, who was 77, was one of the founding members of Afrigo Band, which was formed in 1975 and went on to become one of Uganda’s longest-running and most influential live bands.

He joined the music industry in the 1960s, first performing with the Thunderbirds Band before joining the Police Band and later the Cranes Band. Following the collapse of the Cranes Band, Matovu and other musicians founded Afrigo Band in 1975.

He remained the band’s central figure for decades, serving as its leader, saxophonist, vocalist and composer.With a career spanning nearly six decades, Matovu was one of the most recognisable figures in Uganda’s live-band music tradition and played a major role in keeping the genre alive through successive generations.

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