His stage name was H-Wow, and he was one third of the music trio of Kigali Boys Entertainment, better known as KGB. However, most people knew him by his birth names, Henry Hirwa. 

Hirwa was with the KGB right from its inception in 2004, until December 2, 2012, when news trickled in that he had died after drowning in Lake Muhazi in the Eastern Province, where he and a group of friends had gone on a picnic.

The news hit the other two members of KGB, as indeed the nation like a thunderbolt.

Gaston Rurangwa aka Skizzy, one of the remaining KGB members recounts the day’s events; "I was in studio at VOA (Voice of Africa) when one of our big fans called to tell me that Henry was dead. I thought it was a prank because in the group we had a culture of playing pranks on each other.”

It was until his informer asked Skizzy to call up Hirwa’s parents about their son’s death that he started to sober up. 

"I called up his big sister and explained what had happened as I had been told.”

Then came the dreaded thoughts that Skizzy would have to battle with for a long time: "What next for KGB?”

New chapter

Skizzy is reluctant to talk at length about his colleague’s death, aware that the subject is still very touchy and fraught with controversy. After all, the actual manner and cause of his friend’s death still remain shrouded in mystery.

At Hirwa’s burial in his home town of Rusororo last year, the deceased’s father, Ladislas Kayibanda did not rule out foul play as a possible cause of his son’s death, but hastened to add that he had forgiven the killer (if any) in advance and on his son’s behalf. He further pleaded with any such person to come out and confess the murder to the family, pledging to forgive that person if only they can reveal why they did the deed. 

Hirwa gets replacement

Since Hirwa’s sad demise, the KGB had fallen into limbo, with its future plans unknown to fans. All that was left of the group seemed to be Skizzy, who has been studying Journalism and Mass Communication at the National University of Rwanda, from where he is set to graduate later this month. 

The other member, MYP chose to take a break in California, US, where he recently enrolled at an art school, where he will stay for the next four years. 

Skizzy reveals that the group is now rebranding by bringing in a replacement for Hirwa, as well changing the group’s name. 

"We want the achievements of the old KGB to remain intact. We don’t want our fans to start comparing the new member to Hirwa in any way,” he reasons.

The new member in question is Serge Mugabo, a.k.a Sajou, an up-and-coming musician about who Skizzy says: "He is mature and he flows good. He is a lyricist and will fit perfectly in the group. Above all, he does music because he loves it, not because he wanted to be famous. 

Work in progress

Even with Skizzy’s flowery comments about the new member, all is not well yet, as Skizzy was at first reluctant to reveal his names. Upon my insistence, he had to first call Sajou up to ask if it was okay to divulge his name to the press. In other words, ink has not yet been put to paper as regards the deal.

He reveals that a final decision on whether to take on Sajou will be made in two week’s time. Should Sajou fail to live to the test, Skizzy plans on going the solo way – well, at least for the time that MYP will be away. 

Skizzy, who is graduating next month in Journalism and Mass Communication at NUR has a word or two for the media, which he describes as critical in building or destroying a musician.

"Presenter’s beef with local musicians is killing the music industry. Their work is to only play our music and give listeners updates on what we are doing, not judge us. Radio presenters don’t have any powers to judge musicians –but to play music and talk about what musicians are doing.”