Mmegi

A time to laugh

Malani
Malani

The longest running comedy festival in Botswana, the Annual Heavyweights International Comedy Festival (HICOFEST), is back for the 10th time bringing non-stop laughter to Gaborone tonight at Protea By Marriott Gaborone Masa Square. It features some of the most sought after, high demand international and local comedians who will treat the audiences to too much hilarity and great silliness from a variety of heavyweight comics.

The show, which is brought by Major Moves Comedy promises, fireworks to ensure patrons experience top notch entertainment of different forms of comedy. The organisers say the event has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, and it will feature over twelve comedians from Botswana, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Headliners for the event are local heavyweights Odirile Brooks and Thapelo Malani and East African comedy giants Napoleone Ermah of Uganda and Kenyan Eric Lu Savali. Events coordinator for Major Moves Comedy, Gaolathe Kediemetse said most of their past events had been headlined by comedians from neighboring countries, mainly South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. "However, for the first time this year, we saw one of our comedians Thapelo Malani, perform in East Africa where he shared the stage with top talent such as Dr Hillary Okello and Teacher Mpamire from Uganda as well as Kenyans Nelly and Kinuthua. Thapelo also hosted his first ever one man show which is an inspiration to a lot of artists and proof that anything is possible inf one is determined.

The 10thAnnual HICOFEST will benefit aspiring local comedians and comedy promoters as international heavyweights will offer workshops to local comedians and promoters on how they can improve their craft, collaborate with other comedians and organise world class events,” said Kediemetse. Napoleone is known for his sharp wit and observational humor, often drawing from everyday Ugandan life to create relatable and hilarious content. He has an education degree, which adds a unique twist to his comedy, as he often brings intellectual insights into his jokes. Napoleone is one of the pioneers of stand-up comedy in Uganda and helped shape the local comedy scene. He’s been performing since the early 2000s, influencing many upcoming comedians. Beyond jokes, he uses his platform to address social issues and provide commentary on politics, culture, and relationships, making him a favorite among audiences who appreciate humor with depth. Eric Lu Savali is one of the pioneering comedians in Kenya, contributing to the evolution of Kenyan comedy from grassroots performances to mainstream popularity.

He is known for his high-energy live performances, where his quick wit and improvisational skills shine, making his shows highly popular internationally. He’s also hosted his own comedy specials, where his style combines storytelling, humor, and audience interaction. One of their biggest events was hosting top American comedian Dave Chapelle earlier this year. Eric has also performed in the United Arab Emirates, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Nigeria and United States of America. Major Moves Comedy have been slowly increasing the lineup to give the audiences an unforgettable experience. This year the eventis even bigger and better to give supporters value for their money. The event includes Dr Shakes from Eswatini, Mbongeni Ignatius from Zimbabwe, Chingliz from Zambia, Masapo from Lesotho, fan favorite Smowkey Nyembe from South Africa, with Botswana's Augustus Philemon, Comedian Roy and Mawee Mokgware. “We have had tremendous support for our past shows from both the public and the media alike. We promise a truly enjoyable, relaxing and funny event with this production. We have a fresh new lineup, fresh new headliners and people must come and experience the best and ultimate entertainment from beginning to the end," said Kediemetse.

Editor's Comment
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