Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana is expected to attend the Gen-Z Comedy show at Camp Kigali on Thursday, August 27, where he will feature in a segment dubbed "Meet Me Tonight.”

The minister is expected to discuss national education development and engage with young people on issues affecting the education sector.

According to organisers, Nsengimana was invited because the current edition of Gen-Z Comedy is themed "Back to School.”

The theme is intended to give students advice as they prepare to return to school, while also providing them with an opportunity to ask questions and learn about changes in the education sector so they can return to school with up-to-date information.

Where government meets youth

Gen-Z Comedy has increasingly become a platform for engaging young people on national issues, bringing government officials together with comedy lovers for direct conversations on topics including online crimes, human trafficking, illicit drugs, national history, culture, security and fuel conservation.

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Among the officials who have appeared on the platform are Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) spokesperson Dr Thierry Murangira; Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement Jean Damascène Bizimana and former State Minister in the Ministry of Infrastructure Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye.

Others include Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) Deputy Spokesperson Lt Col Simon Kabera; City of Kigali spokesperson Emma Claudine; Chief of Civil-Military Cooperation in the RDF, Col Désiré Migambi Mungamba; and City of Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva.

Through these engagements, Gen-Z Comedy is becoming more than an entertainment platform, creating space for direct interaction between government officials and young people on national issues.

Comedian Merci Ndaruhutse, founder of Gen-Z Comedy, told The New Times that the "Meet Me Tonight” segment was introduced to promote "edutainment” by combining education with entertainment.

He said the idea of inviting government officials was inspired by the realisation that many young people do not regularly listen to radio programmes, which are often used by government officials to communicate important messages to the public.

"Most of Gen-Zs don’t listen to radios, but they attend our events and watch social media, where we also post the conversations we have with officials. Many of them are not listening to radios, but Gen-Z Comedy mixes them, and they listen to the message easily,” he said.

Ndaruhutse said the format allows young people to attend primarily for entertainment while also receiving information on issues that directly affect them.

"For instance, Gen-Zs come for comedy and, at the same time, the Minister of Education attends and shares the message about schools and students. The attendees are going to hear the message and go back home happily,” he said.

Youth welcome the platform

Ndaruhutse said feedback from young people has been positive, with some telling organisers that they had never met some of the officials before and were happy to have the opportunity to interact with them through Gen-Z Comedy.

He added that government officials have also expressed satisfaction with the initiative, saying they enjoy interacting with young people and hearing their views.

"On the side of officials, they are happy to attend, and they give feedback that they liked interacting with Gen-Zs and hearing what Gen-Zs think,” he said.

He said institutions such as the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE) and the City of Kigali also use the platform to share information about changes and new developments that people need to know.

"For example, the City of Kigali can share information about changes such as the one-way lane for buses, among others. Officials who need to share messages share them with us, and we pass them on,” Ndaruhutse said.

Strengthening youth-government connections

Christella Isimbi, a Gen-Z Comedy attendee, said direct interaction with government officials gives young people an opportunity to learn about changes and ask questions in person.

"It is very good for officials to come to Gen-Z. There are many people who are not aware of some changes, and you ask questions face to face directly,” Isimbi said.

She said the presence of ministers and government spokespersons allows young people to ask questions about different issues, while also giving ordinary citizens who may find it difficult to meet a minister an opportunity to interact directly with officials.

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Isimbi said such meetings can also help people who are dissatisfied with services or have faced challenges by giving them an opportunity to seek clarification or advice from the minister responsible.

"They are like any services given in an institution which you feel unhappy about, but when you get a chance to meet with the minister in charge of that sector, you ask, and then you feel at ease and hear about it, or he or she advises you about how you can behave in the situation you experienced before,” she said.

Didier Mukezangoga, a regular Gen-Z Comedy attendee, said the platform gives young people an opportunity to raise questions about government activities and receive answers directly from officials.

"There are some questions we used to have about activities of the government or other different questions about the country’s life. It is good to get that occasion and ask an official and get feedback directly, with no need to wait for a response or other protocols,” Mukezangoga said.

He said the initiative can also help prevent young people from becoming disconnected from government and public institutions.

"We used to see in some countries where youth strain because of different government activities. They are not happy because there is no connection between the government and youth or citizens in general,” he said.

Mukezangoga said bringing officials to places where young people gather helps build familiarity and understanding between the two sides.

"This creates familiarity between youth and government as the government finds youth where they are,” he said.

He said the approach also helps government messages reach young people quickly and can improve their perception of government.

"This makes government messages reach youth quickly and creates a good image of government to youth,” Mukezangago said.

Mukezangoga also described the platform as a way of helping young people learn about national values through open conversations with officials.

He called for more government officials to take part so the initiative can reach a wider audience.

"We even wish that other officials may come and this expands and reaches a larger audience,” he said.