music 24 September 2026 Nile Post
Makerere's Missed Honour: The Untimely Death of Music Icon Moses Matovu
While efforts were made to award Moses Matovu an honorary doctorate from Makerere University, the honour came too late, with the acclaimed musician passing away before it could be conferred. His legacy, however, endures through his immense contributions to Uganda's music scene and the institution-building of Afrigo Band. Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/373211/makerere-sat-on-moses-matovus-deserved-doctorate-yet-it-was-best-while-he-could-still-hear-it
The passing of Moses Matovu leaves a void in Uganda’s cultural landscape, with many feeling a significant honour was left incomplete. In 2024, a movement gained traction to see Makerere University bestow an honorary doctorate upon Matovu, recognizing his profound impact on Uganda’s music and creative industries.
This initiative sought to academically validate a life that had already become integral to the nation’s cultural history. Advocates highlighted Matovu’s multifaceted talents as a composer, arranger, singer, flautist, saxophonist, recording engineer, and bandleader.
Despite the efforts, the process at Makerere proved slow and arduous. Behind-the-scenes discussions with university officials revealed a lack of awareness or urgency from the Honorary Awards Committee, suggesting that significant external pressure would be needed for action.
Tragically, two years after these efforts began, Moses Matovu is no longer alive to receive the doctorate he so richly deserved. While an academic title wouldn’t have enhanced his already monumental achievements, the human element of honouring individuals during their lifetime was lost – the chance for Matovu to personally receive the recognition for his decades of service.
Matovu’s musical journey began in childhood and professionally in 1967. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he also had a notable career in football before dedicating himself fully to music. His true legacy, however, is intrinsically linked to the formation and enduring success of Afrigo Band in 1975.
For fifty years, Afrigo remained a constant in Uganda’s ever-changing musical and social landscape. Matovu was central to this longevity, not just as a performer but as a visionary who understood the band as an institution. Afrigo masterfully blended Congolese rumba, jazz, funk, and Ugandan rhythms, creating a unique sound that resonated across generations and beyond language barriers.
Matovu composed many of Afrigo’s most beloved songs, including “Nantongo” and “Afrigo Batuuse,” and continually reinterpreted his own work, demonstrating a commitment to evolving tradition. He fostered a culture of mentorship, turning Afrigo into a training ground for countless musicians and ensuring its survival by embracing new talent.
While Matovu received other lifetime achievement awards, the honorary doctorate from Makerere remained elusive. His untimely death on September 24, 2026, following an attack, means the opportunity to formally acknowledge his status as a cultural icon during his lifetime has been missed. The music, however, and the enduring legacy of Afrigo Band, remain a testament to his extraordinary contribution to Uganda.