Kigali welcomes Teacher Mpamire again as the next headline act of Gen Z Comedy Show scheduled for Thursday, July 10, at Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village. The celebrated Ugandan comedian and teacher, born Herbert Seguja, arrived in the country on Tuesday, 48 hours before the show. Mpamire, 42, is known for blending satire and social commentary, often using humor to reflect on serious issues. He believes comedy is “a funny way of being serious,” citing American comedian Dave Chappelle’s description of comics as people with a “third eye” who view the world with ironic detachment.He sat down with The New Times for a candid conversation about his signature comedic style, his journey from a classroom in Kampala to stages around the world, and why he believes Rwanda’s comedy scene is poised for a breakthrough if nurtured right. ALSO READ: Funnyman Babu introduces Kigali’s first English comedy concept Excerpts: What should the audience expect from your show in Kigali? A live comedy class, of course. That’s the Teacher Mpamire experience: fresh humor, good vibes and full-on interaction. I don't just stand on stage and talk. I move with my students, and this time, my students are in Kigali. So come ready to be part of the class. Your comedy feels grounded in reality. How do you balance humor and truth? Comedy is a funny way of being serious. What we do on stage reflects what happens in society. I like how Dave Chappelle put it. Comedians have a third eye. We observe reality through irony. So yes, reality and humor go hand in hand. As long as the joke doesn’t hurt, it can heal. That’s the power of comedy. What did you think of the Gen Z Comedy platform in Rwanda? At first, I heard “Gen Z” and thought of the riots in Kenya. But this Gen Z is redefining comedy in Rwanda. The lineup is strong, and the concept is fresh. It reminds me of when Uganda’s comedy scene first took shape in 2009. We had structured training, workshops with South African mentors, and from that we built lasting careers. I believe Gen Z Comedy Show could be that moment for Rwanda if they invest in nurturing talent. What does that nurturing look like, in your view? Workshops, training, mentorship. Comedy isn’t just telling jokes. It’s writing, rehearsing and performing. Talent must be nurtured. That’s how you learn to craft a punchline, to choose your style, to be unique. I always tell young comedians to be unique. That’s how I created the presidential character. When I show up with a blackboard on stage, you know it's Teacher Mpamire. That brand matters. If you were starting out as a comedian today, what would you do differently? I would go digital without question. I’d host a Teacher Mpamire live show online. Unfortunately, when TikTok started taking off, my content had already been posted everywhere. But I'm still dreaming of an animated Teacher Mpamire. I just need some formal training to bring that to life. Do you think African comedians are protected enough in the digital age? Not at all. We lack copyright enforcement. In Uganda, someone can laugh from Kampala to Mbarara on a bus watching your clips, and you’ve earned nothing from it. Nigeria is ahead. They’ve protected artists better. If our governments take entertainment seriously, everyone benefits. Artists, the state, even future generations. What advice do you have for aspiring comedians in Rwanda and beyond? Know your purpose. Are you in this for fun or as a career? If it’s a career, treat it like a business. Focus, train, rehearse. Don’t chase money at the beginning. We started with shows where only five people showed up and they didn’t pay. We survived on chips and chicken. But we built our names. And don’t fear criticism. People told me I was copying others, that no one wanted another “president” character. But I kept going. Nothing is truly new. Just improve the idea and be respectful in how you portray it. You’ve said humor can heal. How do you see it playing that role in society today? Back at university, we studied a concept called Theatre of the Oppressed, developed by a Brazilian practitioner. The idea is that performance, including comedy, can be a powerful tool to reflect the pain and struggles of a society while also offering a form of healing. You can use humor to critique power, raise awareness and still leave your audience smiling. In my case, I use my platform to deliver messages that might otherwise be difficult to hear. One of my most well-known lines is, “In Africa today, it is the order that maintains the police,” not the other way around. People laugh, but they also think. That is the sweet spot where comedy becomes more than entertainment. I end many of my shows with a call to pride and unity. I say to my audience, “Be proud of your continent. Being Black is not an embarrassment. It was God’s arrangement to make us different, unique and intelligent.” That’s a message of Pan-Africanism, and I deliver it through humor because sometimes laughter is the only way people are willing to receive the truth. Comedy is more than jokes. It is a mirror of society. It allows us to challenge governments, question social norms and address collective pain. When people leave a show having laughed and also having learned, then I know the job is done.Final thoughts for your fans ahead of the Gen Z show? I want all my fans, my students and even my fellow teachers to come ready for a real comedy class. This is not a show where you sit quietly and watch. You are part of the experience. You might even find yourself on the receiving end of a question from Teacher Mpamire, so come ready to laugh until you ask me to stop. I’m truly proud to be performing in Rwanda again. Every time I come to Kigali, I feel the energy and warmth of the audience. It is one of the most welcoming and responsive crowds I’ve performed anywhere in Africa. You can feel that people here are ready to laugh, to engage, and to grow with the comedy scene. What Gen Z Comedy is building is special. They are creating a platform not just for entertainment but for discovery. Young comedians are getting a chance to shine, and audiences are getting access to talent from across the region. So to everyone reading this, whether you are a comedy lover, an aspiring comedian or just curious, I invite you. Let’s make it a night to remember. Teacher Mpamire will perform at the Gen Z Comedy Show on Thursday, July 10, at Camp Kigali. The event is hosted by Fally Merci and features a lineup of emerging and established talent.
