The Nigerian Afrobeats star has been announced as the headline act for the 2026 Kwita Izina concert in Kigali, prompting some Congolese social-media users to urge him to follow Tems' example.
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.
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Aug 21, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
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The Nigerian Afrobeats star has been announced as the headline act for the 2026 Kwita Izina concert in Kigali, prompting some Congolese social-media users to urge him to follow Tems' example.
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.
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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.
Tems Cancelled Her Kigali Concert in January 2025
The comparison follows a high-profile decision by fellow Nigerian star Tems during an escalation of the eastern DRC conflict in early 2025.
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Tems had been scheduled to perform at BK Arena on March 22, 2025, as part of her Born in the Wild tour. However, she cancelled the Kigali date on January 30.
As Africanews reported at the time, Tems said she had promoted the Rwanda concert without realizing there was an ongoing conflict involving Rwanda and Congo.
She apologized for appearing insensitive to the situation and said her thoughts were with those affected by the conflict.
Her cancellation came as fighting intensified in eastern DRC and international scrutiny increased over Rwanda's support for the M23 rebellion.
Pressure Now Turns to Rema
Rema's September performance is part of a major programme surrounding Kwita Izina. The Rwanda Development Board says the Kigali concert will bring the celebrations to a close following the Gorilla Naming Ceremony in Kinigi.
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For some Congolese critics, however, the announcement has revived the debate that surrounded Tems in 2025: whether major African artists should perform at high-profile events promoted by Rwanda while the conflict in eastern DRC remains politically sensitive.
For now, Rema remains officially scheduled to headline the Kwita Izina Concert at BK Arena on September 5.
Whether the online calls grow into a wider campaign --- or prompt a response from Rema and his team --- remains to be seen.
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