NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyan comedian and content creator Crazy Kennar has expressed his excitement after meeting Rwandan President Paul Kagame during a high-profile engagement in Kigali.
The comedian, whose real name is Kennedy Odhiambo, shared photos and selfies with the Rwandan leader after their lighthearted interaction at the Africa Mindset Reset Forum, hosted by the African School of Governance.
Kennar took to social media after the encounter to celebrate the moment, describing it as an honour and sharing the photos he took with Kagame.
“It was an honor to meet the president of Rwanda His excellency Paul Kagame at The Africa Mindset Reset Forum hosted by Africa School of Governance.”
The meeting on August 24, 2026, came weeks after Kennar captured the attention of audiences across Africa with a comedy skit exploring how people from different African countries relate to their presidents. The skit included a portrayal of how Rwandans view Kagame and became one of the comedian’s notable recent pieces of content.
During the encounter, Kennar explained to Kagame that he had previously researched how Rwandans perceive their president before creating his viral skit.
The comedian said he had walked around Kigali and spoken to several people about their relationship with Kagame. According to Kennar, some of the people he interviewed described the president as a father figure.
“I have actually done a skit on how Rwandan citizens relate to you as a president. After doing a lot of research when I was around, a lot of people said we see our president as our father,” Kennar told Kagame.
Kennar said he initially questioned the responses he received during his research. However, he told Kagame that watching him handle an issue during the event gave him a different perspective on what Rwandans had told him.
“I thought that was a joke until I witnessed it today, you solving a case here. Your people really love you,” he said.
After explaining the inspiration behind his skit, Kennar made a personal request to Kagame. The comedian told the president that his father had always encouraged him by reminding him that content could take him to places he never expected to reach.
Kennar then asked Kagame for a selfie, saying he wanted to take the picture home to show his father that his career had enabled him to meet the Rwandan president.
“Lastly, Mr President, my father usually says he believes content can take people places; for me, I just request a selfie so that I can go and show him that I met the president of Rwanda,” Kennar said.
Kagame responded humorously to the request, telling the comedian: “I will give you two.”
Kennar then walked to where Kagame was seated as the two posed for the photos. The interaction drew laughter from those present, particularly as the comedian approached the president for the requested selfies.
The encounter took place in the context of the Africa Mindset Reset Forum, an Africa-focused gathering convened by the African School of Governance in Kigali.
The forum is designed around discussions on African leadership, institutions, technology, capital and the continent’s ability to develop home-grown solutions to its challenges.
According to the African School of Governance, the forum seeks to move the conversation beyond traditional Pan-Africanism towards what it describes as “Meta-Africanism”—a concept focused on building systems, creating value and strengthening Africa’s capacity to deliver development outcomes.
The 2026 forum brings together leaders, innovators and emerging voices from across the continent to discuss Africa’s future and how the continent can translate ideas into practical action. The African School of Governance lists Kagame and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn among its co-founders.
