Behind Scenes: Afrigo Band`s Moses Matovu Was Triggered into Ranting by Overzealous fans and Not Hon Ssewungu

We can exclusively reveal that the now ‘popular’ rant made by Afrigo Band Boss Maestro Moses Matovu aka Moi was not triggered, nor targeted the person of Hon. Gonzaga Ssewungu, or any politician for that matter, but orchestrated by an irate section of fans in the audience, the Investigator authoritatively report.

The Chronology

Afrigo Band kicked off its Saturday performance at Club Obbligato with an introduction of the band by Rude Boy Devoh at 11pm. They started with performances by several artistes and personalities who included Hope Mukasa, Hon. Ssewungu himself and one Abbey, who actually did a cameo of the Afrigo classic titled ‘Maria’.

Thereafter, several other band members who included Hon. Racheal Magoola, Joanita Kawalya, and Moses Matovu the man, among others, serenaded revelers with their favorite songs and many made merry as is the norm at the vintage club. At about 20 minutes to 2am, Papa Moi, appeared on stage and announced that he was going to play the last two songs of the night (Nantongo and Bulumagwe).

This peeved a handful of revelers who had perched at the lower section of the stage below guitarist and trumpeter Saidi Kasule. One of the revelers who seemed to have come in rather late for the show, shouted with an ear-piercing ‘Mutubbye’ (You have cheated us) comment which instantly angered the already tipsy Papa Moi, and subsequently driving him into a calculated rebuttal.

Papa Moi shot back in Luganda thus; “Fe Tetuli babyabufuzi, tubakubide omuziki naye kati mbu tubabbye! Muba mujooga, tetwazze kubuko, Tubeere Straight, Noooooooo Tukooye Fetukubye Music wanno, tukubba music mutuveeko mutujje mugasiiya wamwe mulekerawo okulowooza bulyomu ali cheap. Noo we don’t want that, nze njoogera nga nze Matovu jangu onkube emundu nfe. Gwenzibye antwale munsibe. Nze Nyimba, nkolaki naye mwe muleetamu ebyobufuzi byamwe, gasiya wamwe, Nooooo. Kimala naye nooo… Tubakubide Omuziki paka ddi paka ddi. Nkyogedde atanjagala andeke, I am telling you. Tompa nasente yo negi. Tubakubidde, tuyimba enyimba ezamakulu naye mwagala jjayo nteekeyo, fumita munda eri, ffe tuyimba enyimba ezamakulu temuzaagala,” at this time the enchanted crowd went into a frenzy shouting ‘Matovu, Matovu, in support of the band leader and, tried to calm him down.

It is during this rather unusual response uncharacteristic of Matovu that the Kalungu West MP, Hon. Ssewungu attempted to also calm him down by climbing the podium. However, it seemed that the damage had been done already and Matovu was not about to stop. He shot at the legislator thus; “Even you (Ssewungu and his fellow MPs in Parliament) have failed to enact the copyright law that would better artistes’ lives. Nammwe muli kasasiro.”

This is the statement that was taken out of context by some sections of the local media to insinuate that the banter was triggered by Ssewungu which is not true and indeed, a blunt lie. It should be noted that Afrigo Band boasts of a band member, Hon. Racheal Magoola, who is a Member of Parliament and that Papa Moi has the utmost respect for her current status. To the naysayers, it is a confirmed fact that Hon. Ssewungu, who is an ardent fan of Afrigo Band, has already booked it for a gig in his constituency on 10th December 2022.

One must also note that since Afrigo Band is the most sought-after band, prior to the Obbligato show, it had played at two separate events in two days, thus Papa Moi’s reason that at 2am, they had given their best performance for the day was/is valid. Though many in the past have had an illusion that Papa Moi is a walk over, this is not true and that is the sole reason why he is known as a disciplinarian.

Whereas the other assertion is that Hon. Ssewungu had attempted to tip Papa Moi a paltry UGX50k, the ugly truth is that Ssewungu at that time did not have any money on him as we can authoritatively state that he always keeps his dimes in the custody of his aide, who had stepped out at the time. Afrigo Band has withered several storms in its almost half a century existence, but just one like this incident, which even lacks an iota of basic and fact, is an ignorable flip of foresight of its strength. The ‘Papa Moi- Ssewungu rant’ remains a satire.