Veteran Ugandan actor, playwright and director John Segawa has questioned the future of Afrigo Band following the death of its longtime leader and co-founder, Moses Matovu.
Segawa says Matovu was so closely identified with the band that it will be difficult for Afrigo to continue at the same level without him.
"Afrigo Band should retire with the demise of Moses Matovu. The truth is, they can't. Afrigo is Moses Matovu, and Matovu is Afrigo Band," Segawa said in a recent interview.
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He said history offers few examples of bands losing their main leader and going on to maintain the same momentum.
"Give me an example of a band that lost its band leader and still continued to progress. The only band we can compare to Afrigo is UB40. When Ali Campbell left UB40, they never really bounced back. Where is Goodlyfe since the death of Mozey Radio?" he said.
Segawa said Matovu's contribution to Afrigo went beyond performing, arguing that he was behind much of the band's music.
"Matovu produced most of Afrigo Band's songs. He was larger than life, and, in my view, a hundred times bigger than Afrigo itself," he said.
He also credited Matovu with keeping the group together and maintaining discipline among its members.
"The group has had members struggling with alcohol and drug abuse, but the one person who managed to keep everyone in line was Moses Matovu," Segawa said.
Afrigo's management, however, has said the band will continue despite the loss of its leader.
In a statement, the management said Matovu spent more than five decades building the band and left behind a foundation that can sustain it after his death.
"The Afrigo Band will continue to live on in his honour," the management said.
James Wasula, the band's executive director, said the group remained together and would continue performing.
"All bookings shall be honoured. The band remains intact and committed to delivering the quality performance that Afrigo is known for," Wasula said.
The management also appealed to fans and clients to continue supporting the band, saying the discipline, talent and values Matovu passed on to the group remain in place.
"Do not lose heart. Moses Matovu laid a solid foundation for over 50 years. The discipline, talent, and values he instilled in the band remain intact and will continue," the management said.
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Matovu, popularly known as "Papa Moi", died on September 24, 2026, aged 77, after sustaining injuries in an attack in Kibuli, Kampala. Police initially opened a murder investigation into his death.
According to court proceedings, Vincent Arnold Nsamba, a private security guard, was subsequently charged with murder and remanded to Luzira Upper Prison. Prosecution alleges that Nsamba caused Matovu's death on September 24 at Market 'B' Zone in Kibuli. The case remains before court.
Police investigations into the incident indicated that Matovu was involved in a physical confrontation in Kibuli before he was rushed to Kibuli Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Matovu was one of the founding members of Afrigo Band, formed in 1975 after the collapse of Cranes Band. He remained a central figure in the group for five decades, serving as a singer, saxophonist, composer, arranger and band leader.
He helped shape Afrigo's sound by combining Ugandan musical influences with jazz, rumba and Congolese Lingala influences. The band went on to become one of Uganda's longest-running musical groups and marked its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The band survived political and economic changes over the years while producing music and mentoring successive generations of Ugandan musicians.
Now, the question is whether that legacy can continue without the man who was at the centre of the band for more than five decades.
Segawa believes Matovu's departure leaves a gap Afrigo may struggle to fill. The band's management, meanwhile, insists that the foundation he built is strong enough for the group to continue.
