TAWANDA CHARI & TAKUDZWA HILLARY CHIWANZA
As a country, we have always laughed. Sometimes too loudly, most times at ourselves, sometimes because there is nothing else left to do. Comedy is the background music of our daily survival, a stubborn instrument that keeps playing even when the tune gets heavy.
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| King Kandoro performing at Shoko Festival Comedy Night 2025 |
This year’s edition proved Shoko Festival's Comedy Night is becoming Zimbabwe's biggest comedy platform, bringing together the stars and the rising names. The night had everything: a Bulawayo Chibaba, a sharp tongued Kenyan activist comic, the effortless glue of a host named Mike, and a polished act from King Kandoro.
Mike, the evening’s host, was the motor oil that kept the gears of the night humming. His material travelled everywhere. Even his vocabulary became a running joke, an inside gag that only grew funnier as the night went on. Arguably, Mike was the funniest comic of the night without even trying to compete. He kept the show well-oiled. And of course that might have got him some new fans.
Mbongeni, repping Bulawayo, opened the stage and deservedly had the Harare Gardens crowd chanting “Chibaba" at the end. Only in Harare did he learn that it is tradition to finish it off with “chacho” a cultural exchange moment wrapped neatly inside jokes. His set had storytelling wit, the kind that leaves you laughing and thinking, and his reception signalled just how much Zimbabwe has embraced voices from outside the capital.
Then came Munya, unapologetic, unfiltered, and at times awkward, especially at the beginning as some of her stories seemingly took a protracted buildup. But her set eventually gathered momentum, particularly with her story about a mistaken identity in the queue to pay university fees.
Kenya’s Justine Wanda brought her political inclinations straight into the mix. Her perspective was radical but refreshing, though maybe unfamiliar for a Harare crowd not used to hearing about the activism of Kenyan youth. And yet we feel she did a splendid job in trying to bring the East African feel to Harare. She took her time explaining to us her real-time feelings during the protests, as if trying to nudge us to take similar political action. It was also to say humour alone can be sufficient political action.
Her jokes about men with child bearing hips and wishing pain on her enemies landed well, reminding us that comedy doesn’t always have to be comfortable to be funny. She never hid her feminist identity too, which was quite invigorating and welcome if you support the cause. She was quick to point out some of its contradictions (as perceived by the public) but still telling us she remains an avowed feminist. She took us into bits of her social life; with a focus on dating issues. If you have ever found yourself in situationships and instances of ghosting, this part was exactly made for you.
And then, the King had arrived. Fresh off his birthday, King Kandoro gave a masterclass. He showed that he is now a seasoned practitioner of humour; being effortlessly in groove with the audience. It was also a perfect homecoming for him—given that he started his exploits in comedy at Magamba Network. And there he was, on a Magamba Network stage, showing his intellect beyond any shred of doubt.
He moved seamlessly from Trump and Mugabe’s imagined afterlife conversations, to the dangers of power, to the slow inevitability of aging and the complexities of parenting. And on parenting styles, what he shared were familiar stories every Zimbabwean family easily relates with; but making a resolve that it is now time to change this as new parents (as he also told us he is now a father of two children, the latest addition being a daughter). His stories about hanging out with Marshall Munetsi and his jab at Zimbabwe’s Santa Claus brought the house down. And he also apologized to Wicknell Chivhayo for thinking he'd get tired of his "philanthropy".
Comedy Night was definitely a night to remember, especially given the breathtaking performance by King Kandoro. Till next year, folks.
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