Music Review: Muvubuka – Kenneth Mugabi

___________________

This is the most recent track I could find of Kenneth Mugabi’s music.

I am not too sure whether he has new music or not, but I am glad I came across this track. Kenneth puts the full range of his vocals to use on this.

Here is the unusual thing about Mugabi – he has penned a lot of his own music, so he is a pretty decent composer. He is an adequate guitarist (sorry Ken, but you never really ramp things up on that thing). And his charisma has re-awoken folk music as a genre in Uganda. But most importantly, this young man can sing! It is difficult to contextualize it effectively.

I have heard him sing up close. I was producing an acoustic segment for video about two years back, and invited him to my house, where we paired off, baby grand piano against his vocals. It’s the stuff of goose pimples. He has incredible range and power, and control.

And he is able to immerse himself in the moment. It’s what makes his music soulful, almost tangible.



And that’s what he brings to Muvubuka, a tale about the dog-eat-dog world of urban youths. His last concert was in 2023. So, the impending one (19th September 2025) is not too soon, I guess.

If I get the time to get away from daily existence, I will go watch it. He has become the ultimate performer, almost accidentally seducing the audience with his capacity to translate emotion.

Songs like Muvubuka give you a sneak peek at his sheer talent. He is often described as a storyteller, but I feel like that is a lazy description. Mugabi relives these stories – you can hear the exhaustion and futility in his voice as he sings Muvubuka. I think that is why he stands out so vividly.