With Valentine’s Day approaching, Kigali’s comedy scene is gearing up to replace candlelit silence with loud, healing laughter.
On February 14, funnyman Michael Sengazi will take over Lemon Kigali with a special one-man show cheekily dubbed Kigali We Share/Love—promising an evening of love, roses, and jokes, with a strict no-heartbreak refund policy.
According to Sengazi, the show may come with side effects such as uncontrollable laughter, sudden crushes, or even forgetting your ex-lover’s name. When it comes to Valentine’s pressure, he insists "this is the safest treatment available."
The concept encourages people to come as they are. Couples are welcome, of course—but so are ex-lovers (for emotional support) and even dogs, just in case human love has completely failed.
The show will be performed entirely in English and is built around the idea that love, like many things in Kigali, is something people often end up sharing.
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Sengazi told The New Times that the title of the show ‘Kigali We Share/Love’ plays on a phrase that has sparked debate in the city. He believes, however, that the controversy depends on how it is used. Through comedy, he aims to challenge negative perceptions and show that sharing can also mean sharing care, joy, and love.
He added that staging the show on February 14 was intentional, noting that most Valentine’s celebrations follow the same routine: dinner, a quiet conversation, then home.
"It’s the same date,” he said, "but this time with a good laugh.”
The night will feature surprise comedians, led by Sengazi himself, alongside live music and a party atmosphere. DJ and MC Zenobino from Burundi will be on the decks, while singer-songwriter Kenny Mirasano will perform live. Guests can also expect food and drinks, making it a full Valentine’s experience under one roof.
In his trademark humour, Sengazi also offered a playful warning: if your partner takes you out on February 15 instead of the 14th, you may not be the main partner.
"That’s clear,” he joked. "You’re the second fiddle.”
Beyond the laughs, the show will explore relationships—from childhood influences and movie fantasies to real-life love in today’s Kigali. Sengazi says comedy allows people to reflect on these experiences while laughing at them.
Tickets are priced at Rwf7,000 for early birds and Rwf10,000 at the door, available via *669253# or sinc.events.
On Valentine’s night, Sengazi is betting that laughter will be the strongest love language in the room.