Joanita Kawalya: Matovu prepared Afrigo to continue

What the report says

Joanita Kawalya has said Afrigo Band is ready to keep performing after the death of founding member Moses Matovu, speaking at his burial on Friday in Uganda. According to Sqoop Uganda, Kawalya described Matovu’s passing as a major personal and artistic loss, saying he was not only a band leader but also a mentor and father figure to many in the group.

Kawalya told mourners that Matovu had spent years preparing the remaining musicians to carry Afrigo forward. She also pointed to the vision shared by Matovu and fellow founder Jeff Sekyanzi, saying they wanted the band to outlive them. Her remarks framed Matovu’s legacy as both his music and the people he helped develop.

The article reports that Afrigo members had already begun discussing the group’s future and held a meeting on Tuesday to plan ahead. The comments come as fans and industry figures continue to weigh what Matovu’s death means for one of Uganda’s best-known and longest-running bands.

More broadly, Afrigo Band has long held a central place in Uganda’s popular music history, so questions about continuity are significant for audiences and musicians alike. Sqoop Uganda’s report suggests the group is trying to balance grief with succession planning as it moves into its next chapter.