Moses Matovu, a career like no other before or after

Moses matovu

Over the past two months, I spoke five times with Moses Matovu, popularly known in our inner circle as Papa Moi.

In football circles, I am a realist and radical who has sometimes fallen out with some people. But in Matovu, I have always had a buffer to reach out to even in extreme times. In most times when we talked, it would be about reminiscing about the good old times and the future ahead of our beloved Jogoo.

But in these past few weeks, our chats had become somehow intense. Matovu was the bridge. It is as if my spirit knew the wind was coming. Recently he jokingly asked me; “How would you write my story?”

And I told him I would simply describe him as Manyi ga njegere. He laughed hard. That deep laugh that comes from the belly. He laughed because I had given him that name late Paul Kafeero once sung about; the one whose music shakes the chains.

We were fully in unison and even planned a media conference to address the club’s future. To many Ugandans, Papa Moi may be best known for his music as the band leader of Afrigo but to me as a football enthusiast, he was not only a star for SC Villa, but one of its most loyal fans and administrators.

Many people have been in and out of Villa but Matovu was the one special person who has never left the club. Even when the club was at its lowest in the 2010s, Matovu went out of his way to foot key bills for the club.

That is even beyond passion given the fact that he was not the richest amongst Villa diehards. Yet even when we disagreed about the future of the club, Matovu was one person who kept in touch to bridge the gap.

Of course, we occasionally met in those soothing surroundings where he performed his legendary music and it was like an ice breaker. At the end of those nights, we would agree to disagree but kept the Villa fire burning.

Late last year, David Lumu, a close friend of both of us in the media organised a meeting with Matovu, where we resolved virtually all longstanding issues regarding the club administration.

I left feeling so good because Matovu was a man of his word. What you saw about him is what you got. He always went out of his way to ensure that everything went smoothly at the club.

So, I was so shocked to learn about his death on September 24. I pondered; who would want Moses Matovu dead. I scanned around his music, his family, his businesses and I failed to get anyone who would want to end the life of the saxophone maestro, the best to ever play it.

Then again, why suck the blood of Papa Moi when he is in his evening life at 77 years? Just think of that pain his family is feeling. Throughout the more than four decades I have known him, Papa Moi harmed no one but he made whoever was around him happy.

He was a simple man; so simple that he had no airs associated with the stardom he had. He may best be known for his music, but I will forever rate him with the highest honour in football; as a player, manager and administrator who put his heart for Villa before anything else.

During the lead up to the Amato Ga Kabaka festivities, I held several meetings with Matovu as one of the brains behind the revival of the tournament. I was so thrilled with his ideas I promised him that I will erect his monument at Bunjako, the venue for the Amato Ga Kabaka finals.

Honestly, I did not think through about how I would put it there and it never occurred to me that Matovu would be gone a few weeks later. It is a task I have to fulfil whichever way possible. Rest in peace, Manyi ga njegere Papa Moi.

The author is an investor, contractor, and football enthusiast.

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