Gospel comedians

Peter Wamwea alias Consummator

Gospel comedy is common in other parts of the world, but a new phenomenon in Kenya. MATILDA NZIOKI talked to the Unconditional Laugh duo that pioneered gospel comedy in Kenya.

Stand-up gospel comedy is relatively new. It is somewhat baffling to imagine a few slapstick routines in the same sentence as Jesus or church, but that does not mean it is impossible. Chatting with gospel comedian Peter Wamwea alias Consummator, it becomes evident that there is almost no gospel comedian who has plunged in and decided to make a career out of it in Kenya.

Consummator is a member of the duo Unconditional Laugh that has been doing comedy in the KTN’s Sunday gospel show Tukuza.

“I’ve done my research and gospel comedy is a big thing abroad. It’s taking form in Nigeria with comedians such as Aboki 4 Christ,” says the young comedian, citing Steve Harvey as another example.

But this is the US where the name Christian comes in many forms, including Christian magicians. Africa, Kenya in tow, is undoubtedly still conservative when it comes to Christianity.

Slow growth

“People think that everything that’s biblical has to be rigid, which is limiting. When it comes to Christian comedy, there is the fear of what to say in front of the congregation,” says Consummator. He adds that this could be the reason that has slowed the growth of urban gospel music in Kenya and in Africa. In Kenya, though, stand-up comedy in general is not old. We were used to the acted comedy only. Up until recently, it was not seen as a serious career that one could pursue solely.

The situation got better with people appreciating stand-up comedy when it came to TV, especially during Churchill Live show. That’s when many started looking at it as an industry on its own. And that is where Consummator launched his comedy career.

“As Season One came to an end, I joined the show and performed with Eric Omondi,” he says.

The Community Development graduate from Daystar University notes that while attending Top Comic competition, no one was coming in to do Christian comedy.

“In fact I doubt anyone knew there can be anything like Christian comedy,” he says.

Consummator met his partner Njenga Mswahili whose real name is Anthony Njenga at Churchill Live. The two felt that since they were born again, doing comedy in the club was not agreeable with their faith.