Veteran musician and Afrigo Band icon Moses Matovu died after an alleged attack in Kibuli on Thursday, September 24, with eyewitnesses saying a confrontation involving a woman preceded the incident.
According to an eyewitness cited in the supplied report, the man accused of attacking Matovu first confronted and beat a woman before turning his attention to the 77-year-old musician.
The witness claimed the suspect punched Matovu, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground. The circumstances of the confrontation, however, have not been fully established by police.
A boda boda rider, Menya Chris Frank, said he arrived shortly after Matovu had been struck and immediately transported him to Kibuli Hospital for medical attention.
Residents identified the woman involved as Rose Tumusiime, a Kibuli resident. Some residents alleged that the confrontation may have been connected to a dispute involving the woman, who was reportedly with Matovu at the time.
However, claims circulating among residents about the woman’s identity and alleged involvement in sex work remain unverified. Police have not confirmed those claims or established that they were connected to the attack.
Police said Matovu was attacked in the morning at Kibuli Market Zone B in Makindye Division, Kampala. He was taken to Kibuli Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Kabalagala Police have opened a suspected murder case, with investigators now working to establish exactly what happened, identify the suspect and determine the circumstances that led to the confrontation.
The death marks a major loss for Uganda’s music industry. Matovu was one of the founding members of Afrigo Band, which was formed in 1975, and he remained one of the country’s most prominent live musicians for decades.
For now, the alleged dispute, the identity of the attacker and the events immediately preceding the fatal assault remain under investigation.