What’s the state of comedy in Africa?

We are looking at the state of comedy in Africa as South Sudan, a country ravaged by war and which since 2013 continues to deal with an ongoing conflict, stages its first comedy festival.

Tired of seeing the constant one-sided images and news stories of a war torn country with millions of people who have been displaced, and hundreds of thousands of people said to have been killed in the conflict, one man set out to try and change this world view of South Sudan.

Akau Jambo, a comedian based in Juba, wanted to show the world another side – a side that shows that South Sudan too, despite everything else, can laugh and have a good time.

So Akua brought almost a dozen of comedians from across the continent to his home country and put on a show over a weekend in the beginning of April.

With a diverse cast of comedians from Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan and South Africa in attendance, Mpho Lakaje speaks to Timothy Nyanzi, one the comedians who performed in Juba, about the festival but also the state of comedy in Africa. Presenter: Mpho Lakaje (@MphoLakaje) Guests: Akau Jambo (@AkauJambo) and Timothy Nyanzi (@timothyjnyanzi)