The country has been going through a lot of hardships over the past years and in the midst of grief and strife, comedians have been creating lemonade from the sour situation giving people the best laugh and the much needed comic relief. The steady growth will this year get a shot in the arm in the form of the Inaugural Sekerera Harare International Comedy Festival (SHICOF) to run from the 7th to 9th of  August.

By Plot Mhako

The comedy scene has over the past years witnessed tremendous growth with various platforms such as Simuka, the HIFA comedy platform, Shoko Festival, the Book Cafe open mic, Umahlekisa Comedy Club promoting stand-up comedy and the birth of the online comedy scene.

Sekerera the brainchild of Xtratime Entertainment who are no strangers in showbiz after previously successfully hosting sold-out comedy nights in Harare with some heavyweight comedians, namely Anne Kansiime (Uganda), Barry Hilton (South Africa), John Vlismas (South Africa), Alfred Kainga (USA), Carl Joshua Ncube, Q Dube, Long John, Doc Vikela Goliath and Goliath (South Africa) Gonyeti , Farhan Esat, Tinaye and Baba Tensen.

The new festival is set to feature some of the best comedians locally and from all over the world.

“We will have a host of Zimbabwean Comics based in and outside Zimbabwe performing at the festival. We will also have comedians from the African continent and the world participating at the festival. Negotiations with targeted comedians from all over the world have started and line-ups and program will be released in due course” exclaimed Tongai Mbidzo Xtratime Ent director.

This is big a platform for the Zimbabwean comedians and the Zimbabwe entertainment scene – to be granted an opportunity to showcase Zimbabwe comics and international acts during the 3-day Comedy festival in Harare.

The organizers have since indicated that the festival will be an annual event on the Zimbabwe entertainment scene.

The build-up to the festival to the festival will see a series of comedy shows with Zimbabwean and international Comedians being hosted monthly, continuing what Xtratime Ent had been doing in previous yes. 

“We are optimistic and confident that the festival will be a huge success and welcomed on the Zimbabwean entertainment scene.”

“We are experienced in the Comedy game and its high time we Level up by planting an annual permanent smile on Zimbabweans, hence the Festival name SEKERERA (Meaning Smile).

The festival comes at a time Zimbabwe has been making great news on the international comedy circuit with the 2019 Savanna Pan African Comic of the Year, NAMA Award-winning Long John having won the 2019 Steve Harvey Spotlight comedy search and is set to leave for the States.