Bebe Cool to Joanita: Don’t let Afrigo die with Matovu

What the report says

At a memorial gathering at the National Theatre in Kampala, Ugandan singer Bebe Cool urged Joanita Kawalya and the surviving members of Afrigo Band to keep the group active after the death of founding member Moses Matovu. According to Sqoop Uganda, Bebe framed the moment as a turning point for one of Uganda’s most enduring live bands, saying Matovu’s absence should not mark the end of Afrigo’s long-running legacy.

The report says Bebe’s message was both emotional and practical: he called on Kawalya to help carry the band forward and suggested that the responsibility of leadership should not rest on men alone. He also indicated that others in the music community would support her if needed. The appeal came in front of musicians, friends and mourners gathered to honor Matovu, who was described as central to Afrigo’s identity and place in Ugandan music history.

Afrigo Band has remained a familiar name across generations, associated with weddings, celebrations and other public events in Uganda. In that wider context, Matovu’s death has raised questions about succession and continuity within the group. Sqoop Uganda’s report presents Bebe Cool’s remarks as part of a broader call to preserve the band’s presence after losing one of its defining figures.