While music lovers can’t wait to see Koffi Olomide gracing the Kigali Arena stage on December 4, a section of people, led by gender activists, want the controversial rhumba maestro to be banned from performing in town due to his reputation in abusing women.

The popular singer is no stranger to controversy, having previously been declared persona non-grata in 2016 and deported after he kicked one of his female dancers at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Kenya.

He was slapped with similar charges by authorities in DR Congo in 2016 for kicking one of his dancers.

Koffi Olomide is also the subject of a judicial process in Zambia, where he was previously barred from entering after he slapped a photojournalist in Lusaka in 2012.

In 2019, Koffi was handed a two-year suspended jail sentence by a court in France after he was found guilty of the statutory rape of one of his former dancers when she was 15.

His violent behavior has on many occasions hindered some event organisers from inviting him to perform at their concerts but that does not seem to be the case for Rwanda after organisers confirmed his performance in Kigali on December 4, at Kigali Arena.  

Bruce Intore, the managing director of Intore Entertainment that is organising the concert, has been hailed for playing a big role in waking Kigali’s entertainment scene up again and bringing it back to life after an 18-month hiatus amid the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.

However, some music supporters criticized his choice of bringing  to Kigali a musician whose reputation has been characterised by rape cases and sexual assualt against young women.

Renowned local gender activist Juliet Karitanyi claimed that it would be reckless to welcome a musician of such  reputation to a country that does not tolerate any acts related to gender-based violence.

« Koffi Olomide is a known abuser, he was banned in Kenya in 2016, after assaulting one of his dancers at the Nairobi airport… there is no way this man is going to perform in Kigali, it is a shame on our country… On top of that, you are hosting Koffi Olomide during the 16 Days of Activism ? » claimed Karitanyi on her Twitter account.

Karitanyi’s comments were echoed by female radio presenter Jeanne d’Arc Cyuzuzo who does not appear to support the idea of hosting a musician like Koffi Olomide in a country that always shows its commitment in fighting Gender based violence.

« It’s crazy how in Rwanda we always say we are fighting against GBV yet so many of us are aware that Koffi Olomidé was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15 years old yet hyped to see him in a concert.  We saw him allegedly beating his dancers and more but hey ! Separate art/artist, » Cyuzuzo posted on her Twitter account.

The singer’s chances of performing at the concert next weekend now hangs in balance as pleas to cancel it continue to increase.

« By accepting this man to perform in Kigali, we dehumanize these victims; we accept to treat them as nothing and, as a country, we accept not to be accountable. We strengthen the idea that invincibility can be bought and we automatically discredit the stories of victims. BAN THIS CONCERT, » Karitanyi appealed.

The petitions now put pressure on the event organisers who thought the musician was the right choice to kick off the festive season in style thanks to his music which has for years cemented a place in Rwanda.

 Efforts to get a comment from Bruce Intore , the brains behind the concert, were futile.