Police Arrest Prime Suspect in Murder of Afrigo Band Musician Moses Matovu

Police in Kampala have arrested a 41-year-old man identified as Vincent Nsamba, described as the prime suspect in the suspected murder of veteran Afrigo Band musician Moses Matovu.

 The late Moses Matovu(Afrigo Band. RIP

Nsamba was arrested on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in Ochange Ward, Yesu Amala, Nansana Division, Wakiso District, following investigations into the circumstances surrounding Matovu’s death. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Rachael Kawala confirmed the arrest, saying investigations remain ongoing.

The arrest came hours after Matovu, 77, died at Kibuli Hospital after sustaining serious injuries during an alleged confrontation at Kibuli Depot in Makindye Division, Kampala District.

Police reconstruct events leading to Matovu’s death

According to preliminary information released by police, Matovu went to the residence of a woman at about 5:30am on Thursday.

Police said that as Matovu and the woman were leaving the residence, they were allegedly confronted by a male suspect who was believed to have previously been in a relationship with the same woman.

The confrontation reportedly developed into a physical altercation.

However, police have cautioned that the precise circumstances surrounding the confrontation and how Matovu sustained the injuries that led to his death have not yet been fully established.

“Preliminary information indicates that the incident may have arisen from a physical altercation. However, the exact circumstances surrounding the confrontation and subsequent death are yet to be fully established,” Kawala said in the police update.

Matovu sustained serious injuries and was rushed to Kibuli Hospital by a boda boda rider, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Woman remains in police custody

Police earlier arrested the woman who was in Matovu’s company at the time of the incident.

According to police, she remains in custody and is assisting detectives as they piece together what happened before, during and after the confrontation.

The male suspect, who police had initially said had fled the scene, was subsequently identified and subjected to a manhunt.

That operation ended with Nsamba’s arrest in Nansana later on Thursday.

Police continue investigations

Kampala Metropolitan Police said detectives are continuing to verify the different accounts surrounding the incident and establish the full circumstances that resulted in Matovu’s death.

Investigators are expected to examine evidence from the scene, statements from witnesses and the accounts of people who were with or near Matovu before and during the confrontation.

Police have urged members of the public to remain calm and allow investigators to carry out their work without interference.

The force also extended condolences to Matovu’s family, friends, fellow musicians and fans following his death.

Loss of a veteran of Uganda’s music industry

Matovu’s death has sent shockwaves through Uganda’s entertainment industry.

He was one of the founding figures of Afrigo Band, which was established in 1975, and spent decades performing as a singer, songwriter, saxophonist, flutist and band leader. He was widely regarded as one of the prominent figures in Uganda’s live-band music tradition.

His death came after a career spanning almost five decades, during which Afrigo Band became one of Uganda’s longest-running musical groups.

The band has since announced a funeral programme, with prayers and mourning activities scheduled in Kampala and burial planned in Kyanja on Friday, September 25, 2026.

As detectives continue questioning the suspects and witnesses, police say the investigation remains focused on establishing the facts surrounding the confrontation and Matovu’s subsequent death.

The arrest of Nsamba marks a significant development in the investigation, but police have yet to complete their inquiries or establish the full circumstances of the suspected murder.