Tusuubira Mutebi: Entertainer that stood out for his flair, unique dress code

“Once when with my family, we had gone to Kenya for the Christmas holidays and, we heard that Peterson Tusuubira Mutebi was performing at a place called Small World. We drove from Karen, which was a considerable distance away, to go and watch him,” Joanitta Bewulira-Wandera recollects.

On learning that there were some Ugandans in the audience, Mutebi played some of the favourite Ugandan songs, on request.

Bewulira says that performance made their trip very special. As such, it is a story each of them tells over and again.

When patrons went out to watch The Thames Band, they were sure to sing along and dance because Mutebi was an energetic performer whose stage presence was worth looking forward to thanks to his agility, connection with the audience and songs that celebrated love and affection in a way that tickled the heart and hypnotised the mind.

His  music

The natural entertainer was noticeable for his charm and signature dress code.

“Mutebi’s performances had great entertainment value, and dressed in the outfits of the day, bell bottoms, and platform shoes (or bongos, as we used to call them) which was usually an all-white or blue attire,” Bewulira, a renowned actress and film director, further recounts.

Solome is one of his popular songs in which he seeks love; he confesses to a woman that she is the reason for his living, and should she turn down his advances, he would be so heartbroken that his life would end. He goes on to heap more praises on Solome who is naturally endowed. 

His fame also lies in hits such as Nyongera ku Love, Weekend, Bamulete, Tubere Nga Nooyo, Fina, Love Enzigumivu, Leka Tusanyuke, Telephone Operator, and Embaga in which he fuses modern and traditional instruments and dances such as bakisiimba and muwogola. 

“What I remember is that he was called Amata Agatafa an allusion to his music, which has more than stood the test of time. Today, I listened to his music, and it still has the same magic that it had more than 40 years ago,” music lover Bewulira further shares. 

His son, Japhet Musoke Mutebi singles out Kanvugevuge as his favourite. 

“It is full of love, care and tells a story of a long-distance relationship which relates to my current love life,” Mutebi, a gospel musician and photographer explains.

His beginnings

Musician Moses Matovu saw Mutebi cut his musical teeth in the late 1960s. Mutebi frequented White Nile Bar where Cranes Band regularly performed from 2pm to 8pm, for teenagers, and for adults from 8pm until late.

With time, Mutebi befriended the musicians in the band and when he gained their trust, they would let him occasionally play  the tambourine. 

Like that, he began his journey of satisfying his inner passion of becoming a musician. He had a day job at one of  the Bata shoe shops in Kampala. 

Later, Mutebi established Peterson Mutebi & The Thames Band which comprised of  Fred Kigozi who was a vocalist and bass guitar player, Billy Mutebi who played the lead/solo guitar, Frank Mbalire a guitarist, Fred Tebiseke who was a saxophonist and one Makubuya who was a drummer. 

Some of the members later left to form Rwenzori Band. He rebuilt the band with Peter  ‘Super’ Kabale, Bernard Gonza, and Deo Mukungu. He registered success. He went on to perform in Kenya and Rwanda where he became a darling.

The sound

In an article, writer and music producer Michiel Van Oosterhout writes that in 1972, Peterson Tusubira Mutebi & the Thames were the first Ugandan group that came out with an LP album. 

“The album called Love enzigumivu ‘contained good heavy and sweet music’ the back cover revealed. Overall, the sound was mostly inspired by the Congolese rumba that by then was making serious inroads into the Ugandan music scene,”he adds, in part, adding that with Peterson Mutebi at the helm his subsequent 5 LP albums - released between 1974 and 1983 - betrayed the development of a genuine Ugandan style mixing the Congolese rumba with traditional Kiganda and Kadongo Kamu elements and even a pinch of English song. 

To the writer, if there would be a Ugandan Guinness Book of Records, Mutebi would probably be the musician that holds most records. Besides being the first Ugandan to bring out an LP album in Uganda, no musician came near him by producing six albums and more than  37 inches (45’s) in just 10 years. 

At a professional and personal level, Matovu describes Mutebi as a man who was calm who involved his children in the music endeavour he undertook. 

Three of them, Japhet, Diana and Wycliffe (Cliff) Kizito Mutebi proved so during the Jam Session music fete dedicated in memory of their father at Uganda National Cultural Centre in Kampala.

Backed up by Uganda Police Band, the trio evoked nostalgic memories among old timers such as actor and educationist Fagil Monday who commended the fallen musician for educating and raising his children to become responsible in their respective lines of professionalism. 

Musoke carries many memories from his father, one prominent one being taking him and the siblings to perform with him. 

“I could try my simple dancing strokes. I was about three years. People used kutufuwa (tip) us with money on stage. He  would tell me to pick it and save it for my bike,” he recalls.

The experience

Peterson Tusubira Mutebi and The Thames Band ruled Uganda’s pop music in the 1970s and 80s. It was at a time when Bewulira was in secondary school; the formative and some of the happiest years of her life. 

“We loved learning the lyrics of whatever the latest songs were on the market at the time, and because Mutebi’ songs were in Luganda, it was much easier to learn them. We also learnt Lingala songs phonetically, and found out in later years, that what we used to sing, and what the actual lyrics were, were two separate things,” she recalls.

Among her favourites were Solome, Nyongera Ku Love, Omukwano ogwe wala, Ndikwambala ng’ekooti, Hanipha and Bamulete, because the tunes were catchy and great to dance to, but the choice of lyrics, and music arrangement also contributed to the entertainment value. 

“There was something about the way he sang, that made you think your voice was as good as his, and we used to belt out the songs like pros, (or so we thought!),” Bewulira notes. 

The family man

Besides music, Mutebi was a family man. Cliff remembers his father as loving and caring in whose company he was able to start his music journey. He accompanied his father to studio, something Matovu collaborates, adding that there are unfinished songs the family started on at the Afrigo Band studios in Kibuli, Kampala. 

“Musically, he put me on stage and did my first gig. I must have been in Primary One when  he bought me a piano and I was able to learn guitar as well. In 1988, we went together on a music tour in Eastern Uganda. He was good at organising live music concerts and one of the places where he played longest was The Centre and Small World Country Club in Nairobi,” Cliff, a former member of Jeckaki Band, reminisces. 

With help from Matovu, Cliff organised a concert to remember his father in 2012. Musician Mutebi passed on 30 years ago on May 11, 1992. On the same date this year, his family commemorated him with a memorial lecture at PTM Gardens on Salaama Road near Munyonyo. Whereas he is gone, his music continues to play. 

The family man

Besides music, Mutebi was a family man. Cliff remembers his father as loving and caring in whose company he was able to start his music journey. He accompanied his father to studio, something Matovu collaborates, adding that there are unfinished songs the family started on at the Afrigo Band studios in Kibuli, Kampala. 

“Musically, he put me on stage and did my first gig. I must have been in Primary One when  he bought me a piano and I was able to learn guitar as well. In 1988, we went together on a music tour in Eastern Uganda. He was good at organising live music concerts and one of the places where he played longest was The Centre and Small World Country Club in Nairobi,” Cliff, a former member of Jeckaki Band, reminisces. 

With help from Matovu, Cliff organised a concert to remember his father in 2012. Musician Mutebi passed on 30 years ago on May 11, 1992. On the same date this year, his family commemorated him with a memorial lecture at PTM Gardens on Salaama Road near Munyonyo. Whereas he is gone, his music continues to play.