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Born in Kawempe on June 19, 1949, Matovu was the son of Abdallah Bukenya and Solome Nakitto. After his parents separated, he moved to Mengo with his mother and spent much of his childhood there.
His love for music began at an early age. He joined the Namirembe Cathedral choir when he was four and later attended Namirembe Primary School. He continued his education at Kibuli Secondary School and Pillai’s Secondary School.
His studies suffered during the 1966 political crisis between the central government and Buganda Kingdom. Matovu had studied under a Buganda government scholarship, but the abolition of traditional institutions disrupted that support.
Before music became his life, football offered another possible career. Matovu played for Nakivubo Boys, Lint Marketing Board, Police FC, Express FC and Fiat FC. He eventually left competitive football in 1972 to concentrate on music.
He entered professional music in 1967 as a vocalist with Thunderbirds Band. He joined the Police Band in 1968 and moved to Cranes Band the following year.
The Police Band gave him formal exposure to brass instruments, while Cranes Band helped him develop as a singer, composer and instrumentalist. He played the saxophone and flute and later became one of Uganda’s most respected bandleaders.
After internal disagreements split Cranes Band, Matovu and several colleagues created the group that became Afrigo Band. Some accounts trace its beginnings to 1974, but the band formally emerged in 1975 and later treated August 31, 1975, as its founding date.
Its name grew from the phrase “Africa go forward” or “Africa go in music”. The group played its early shows at Bat Valley Bar and Restaurant in Kampala. The founding musicians included Matovu, Charles Ssekyanzi, Jeff Sewava, Paddy Nsubuga, Paulo Serumagga, Fred Luyombya, Anthony Kyeyune and Geoffrey Kizito. Afrigo went on to become Uganda’s longest-serving musical group.
Matovu remained its central figure as the band survived the turbulent years of Idi Amin’s government, insecurity, lost equipment and repeated changes in membership.
Its music blended Congolese rumba, jazz and funk with Ugandan rhythms. The group sang mainly in Luganda, but also recorded music in other Ugandan languages and Kiswahili.
Afrigo built its reputation through live performances and songs about love, poverty, marriage and daily life. Its best-known recordings include Afrigo Batuuse, Speed, Nantongo, Jim, Obangaina, Rose Guma, Maria, Amazzi Genyama, Mp’Eddembe, Nnemeddwa and Olumbe Lw’obwavu.
Matovu composed songs such as Nantongo, Silina Anantwaala, Teri Mubi, Emiziro, Genda Osome and Afrigo Batuuse. He recorded his first song, Jimmy Saasira, in 1970 before following it with Emiziro in 1971.
Across five decades, Afrigo became a home for some of Uganda’s finest performers. They included Joanita Kawalya, Rachel Magoola, Herman Ssewanyana, Frank Mbalire, Rashid Musoke, Godfrey Mwambala, Tony Sengo, Tony Ssenkebejje, Fred Kigozi and Sammy Kasule.
Later generations included Joe Tabula, Peter Bazanye, Edmond Ganja, Charles Busuulwa, Daniel Kaggwa, Isaac Zzimbe, Jacinta Wamboga, Sarah Namiyonga and Aminye Rhoose, among others.
Matovu kept the group alive by recruiting and mentoring younger musicians whenever older members left or died. He placed the band above individual fame and treated discipline, rehearsal and live instrumentation as the foundation of its survival.
Afrigo marked 50 years in 2025, a rare milestone in Uganda’s music industry. By then, the group had released more than 20 albums and 200 songs and had performed for audiences in Uganda, Europe and the United States.
Matovu had rejected retirement while he could still sing, compose and play his instruments. He believed Afrigo could survive beyond its founders if it continued nurturing young talent.
His death ends an extraordinary career that connected Uganda’s early urban bands to the modern music industry. It also leaves Afrigo facing the transition he spent years preparing it to survive.
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