Afrigo promise memorable night ahead of 40th anniversary

By Steven Odeke

This Saturday, Afrigo Band, Uganda’s oldest music band, will be toasting to 40 years of delivering fine music with blistering dynamism. The event will be at Hotel Africana.

In a press conference held on Wednesday afternoon at Hotel Africana, the band’s leader Moses Matovu asked fans to come in good numbers and celebrate a music journey that has excelled through generations.

“This event is for everyone, not for a particular generation,” he said. “ We have performed for almost every generation and that is why we ask everyone to come celebrate this milestone with us on Saturday. I am going to play every kind of saxophone that night right from the ‘90s.”

In attendance were some of Afrigo’s members Joanitah Kawalya and Herman Ssewanyana.  Afrigo Band was formed in 1975 after eight youth broke away from Crane Band.  Led by Jeff Sewava and Matovu, the eight members decided to start a band that has since stood the test of time.

Joanita Kawalya speaks about the upcoming concert

The name “Afrigo” was coined by Matovu himself from a phrase “Africa-Go music.” And today, he remains the only band’s pioneer member still performing with the band.

Others like Billy Mutebi, Charles Sekyanzi, and Fred Luyombya passed away while the rest like Sewava and Anthony Kyeyune ventured into other fields.
Over 21 albums have been recorded by the band in four decades and some of the songs like “Mundeke,” “Omutanda,”
Afrigo Batuse,” “Olumbe Lwo’bwaavu,” “Jim,” “Onnemye” and “Speed Controlle” have stapled in people’s music archives. 

Kawalya asked their fans to come fall in love again with the songs that wand magic in the good old days. “I think whoever will attend the show will have that particular reason they fell in love with Afrigo. That is why we want them to come and we enjoy the show together.”

The show’s main sponsors, Uganda Waragi, will be at hand to offer Afrigo fans assortments of cocktails at the event.