Rema Faces Calls to Cancel Rwanda Show After Tems’ Withdrawal

KIGALI, Rwanda --- August 21, 2026 --- Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema is facing calls from some Congolese social-media users to reconsider an upcoming performance in Rwanda after he was announced as the headline act for the Kwita Izina Concert in Kigali.

According to an official announcement by the Rwanda Development Board, Rema will perform at BK Arena on Saturday, September 5, 2026, as the headline artist for the culminating entertainment event of this year's Kwita Izina celebrations.

The concert will take place one day after the 21st Kwita Izina Gorilla Naming Ceremony, scheduled for September 4 in Kinigi, Musanze District, under the theme "Conservation is Life: Sustaining the Future."

RDB describes Kwita Izina as Rwanda's flagship mountain-gorilla conservation celebration, bringing together conservationists, communities, international guests and partners.

Congolese Users Challenge Rema to Follow Tems

Following the announcement, some Congolese users on social media began calling on Rema to reconsider performing in Kigali because of the continuing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

One post responding to the Visit Rwanda announcement directly urged the Nigerian singer to think about his Congolese fans before attending Kwita Izina and pointed to Tems' previous decision to cancel a Kigali concert.

The emerging message to Rema is straightforward: follow Tems' example.

Rema has not publicly announced that he intends to withdraw from the September 5 concert, and there was no public response from the singer to the calls at the time of publication.