In the midst of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s prolonged conflict, a group of comedians is using humour as a means of relief for thousands displaced by war. Their stage, a makeshift open-air setup in Beni, a government-controlled city, has become a rare space where laughter drowns out the echoes of gunfire and despair. With biting wit and sharp social commentary, these comics are transforming the country’s pain and political instability into laughter and momentary healing.
“Can you imagine Kabila as an emergency room doctor?” one comedian joked, sparking laughter from the crowd. The audience leaned forward as he continued his routine, mocking former President Joseph Kabila’s famously slow and deliberate manner of speech. “Kabila as an emergency room doctor would sound like this: ‘Thank you. Those with broken feet will be here, those with tibia problems will also be here … I’ll start again, I did say those with broken feet … oh, they’re already dead,’” he said, drawing thunderous applause.
This particular performance took place before Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes linked to allegations that he supported the advance of the M23 rebels. Kabila, who led the country from 2001 to 2019, has denied all accusations, claiming that the Congolese judiciary has become politicised.
The shows are part of an initiative by local organiser Christian Kabwe, who believes humour can serve as a form of psychological healing for communities traumatised by war. “We told ourselves, as the French say, that laughter is therapeutic, so we wanted to offer this mass therapy,” Kabwe explained. He described the initiative as a way to “de-stress” the population and provide moments of collective relief amid constant fear and uncertainty.
Another comedian at the event riffed on the contrast between lively Congolese rumba and melancholic Western ballads, delivering a clever commentary on cultural differences and everyday hardship. “When a white person sings, you can tell he’s had time to think, write, get into the studio … I want these problems,” he quipped, earning more laughter from the crowd.
Among the attendees was 28-year-old Placide Itula, who fled from Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in February. When M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, captured Goma in January, Itula escaped on a motorbike taxi and later crossed rivers by pirogue boat to reach Beni. Tragically, his wife suffered a miscarriage during their attempted flight and remains in Goma. Alone but hopeful, Itula said the comedy show offered him a brief escape. “I attended with the hope of reducing stress and anxiety and seeing if at least I can find a little smile when I see others,” he said softly.
The rebel group’s rapid territorial gains have displaced hundreds of thousands and claimed thousands of lives, leaving deep scars across communities in eastern Congo. While Rwanda has repeatedly denied supporting M23, a United Nations report released in July alleged that Kigali maintains “command and control” over the rebel movement, heightening tensions in the region.
For many displaced Congolese, comedy has become a rare form of therapy, a coping mechanism in a time of despair. In the laughter-filled gatherings of Beni, humour is not just entertainment; it is a defiant act of resilience. Each performance allows audiences to process trauma, confront the absurdity of their reality, and rediscover hope in the face of hardship.
As one audience member remarked after the show, “Even if the war takes everything from us, laughter reminds us we are still alive.”
