Israel Mbonyi is set to take his Icyambu Live experience to western Rwanda as he prepares a New Year’s Day concert at Nengo Stadium in Rubavu, marking an ambitious start to 2026 with two major shows within a single week.
The gospel music star will first host his highly anticipated annual Christmas concert at BK Arena, before heading to Rubavu for the January 1 performance.
The back-to-back shows will mark the first time Mbonyi headlines two major concerts in Rwanda in a period of one week—although the feat is familiar territory for him. In recent years, he has successfully pulled off multi-venue sellouts across East Africa, performing to packed crowds in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania within days.
The Rubavu concert is expected to draw thousands of worshippers from across the Western Province and beyond, as Mbonyi continues to expand the reach of his live worship experience.
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Concert promoter, Ma Africa, says both concerts, the fourth edition of Icyambu at BK Arena and the debut Rubavu show, are designed to bring his sixth album 'Hobe' to fans nationwide while building momentum for his 2026 global tour.
"We want Mbonyi's upcountry fans to experience what audiences in other places get during his concerts," Ma Africa CEO Dan Zibera Mironko told The New Times.
"We're expecting people from neighboring districts like Musanze, Rusizi, and Karongi to join us at Nengo Stadium for a historic night of worship as we welcome 2026," he added.
The promoter confirmed that Mbonyi will make New Year’s Icyambu Live Concert in Rubavu an annual music concept just like he did for Kigali on Christmas.
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Tickets for the Rubavu concert are available at Icyambu.com at Rwf2,000 for regular admission, Rwf5,000 for VIP, and Rwf10,000 for VVIP while a table of eight people goes for Rwf 150,000.
Mbonyi also started 2025 on the stage where he joined Tanzanian gospel artist Christina Shusho for a crossover concert in Nairobi that drew thousands.
The artist's recent run of sold-out shows includes Lugogo Cricket Oval in Kampala and two concerts in Dar es Salaam at Mlimani City and Leaders Club. His decision to perform in Kiswahili has significantly expanded his reach across East Africa.
Widely regarded as one of Rwanda's finest gospel artists of his generation, Mbonyi has earned nominations at the African Entertainment Awards USA and won multiple accolades at the Groove Awards Rwanda and Isango Na Muzika Awards.