In Conversation with Dennis Kaunda … Part 2
- HOTA Team
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 hours ago
“If someone isn’t academically gifted, what options do they have?
Edutainment, educational games, and art make school more engaging,
So there’s a need to invest in promoting art from early childhood.” - Dennis
In pursuit of the healing medicine called ‘laughter’, we continue the conversation the HOTA team had with the ‘Laughter Specialist’ Dennis Kaunda, who hails from Rundu, Namibia.
What opportunities have you received?
I participated in a show called ‘If you think you are funny’. I was the only representative from Kavango and Zambezi regions. At that time, I could only perform in Windhoek. Sadly, most comedy venues closed; only Savanna remained, and I am grateful to still be with Savanna today. Consequently, I decided to create my own platform in Rundu. It has been and still is a challenging journey. Some gigs succeeded, while others failed.
Tell us more about the Rundu initiative.
Early this year, I partnered with Nsamba to create 'The Legend Comedy Club'. We host a comedy show every month in Rundu. Our immediate goal isn’t to make money, but to raise awareness in the Kavango region. The club features different comedians from across Namibia.
You run with the motto: FORCING THINGS UNTIL IT BECOMES. What’s the reason behind this?
Comedy isn’t a popular form of entertainment. Our community isn’t exposed to other art forms like comedy, theatre, art fairs, or gallery exhibitions. There’s a lack of awareness of the creative arts industry in Rundu and Namibia as a whole. Yes, art is a subject in schools, but art periods are often used for singing or studying. This theme reminds us that we have much work to do in raising awareness and appreciation for the creative arts industry.
Has there been progress so far?
Indeed, people are beginning to see the beauty of comedy. We’ve noticed increased attendance at our shows from diverse backgrounds, and we’ve built a fan base of regular attendees. I was especially pleased when I saw a young lady attending one of our shows with her elderly mother. We’ve received positive feedback from the community and on social media. Additionally, we receive calls from people wanting to book us for their events.
How do you manage bringing comedians from other towns?
We aim to diversify by featuring voices from different comedians. Sometimes we invite them as the main act, and we cover their expenses. Often, our ticket sales aren’t enough to cover the guest comedian’s fee, so I personally fund their costs. The money I earn from other gigs helps pay the comedians. It’s a worthwhile investment, and I am confident it will pay off.
Could you share some of your career highlights so far?
Performing at Savannah is always a major highlight each year, and I am grateful for the opportunity.
I also performed at the Rundu Trade Fair for the first time in 2025. This year, more comedians will be performing at the trade fair, and I am looking forward to it.
Recently, I performed comedy at a church event at Don Bosco Parish during the Gospel Night Show. Church comedy was new, enjoyable, and fun. It was brief but very enjoyable. I performed in front of people who might not have attended any of my other shows. I had to craft a different script of jokes, which was a challenge that helped me diversify as an artist. The feedback was very positive.
Most importantly, we are also collaborating with the Home of The Arts (HOTA) in Rundu, which has had a positive impact on my career.
Tell us more about this collaboration with HOTA.
We have access to the HOTA (Werah Hub Space/ AKA Werah Cafe) for free during our shows, which has reduced the costs of hosting events. Additionally, the Werah Café in Ndama is an ideal venue for comedy. Through HOTA, we are training aspiring comedians in Rundu every month. Anyone interested in learning about comedy is welcome. It’s wonderful to see the progress made by those we have been training. We also give them stage time during comedy shows.
What are the challenges you face in the creative arts industry?
We need a cultural shift. The lack of creative arts in Rundu and Namibia overall causes ignorance. Art is not taught in schools; art classes are mainly for singing or dancing.
Art is often not taken seriously. Most people choose music because other forms of art are less popular. Only football and clubbing are widely enjoyed forms of entertainment. Appreciation of art should start in primary schools so it becomes part of people’s lives—either as performers or supporters.
If someone isn’t academically gifted, what options do they have? Edutainment, educational games, and art make school more engaging, so there’s a need to invest in promoting art from early childhood.
What are you looking forward to as you advance your career?
I have so many plans and dreams so let me share a few:
I hope to participate in the MTC Content Creator Awards one day and win.
Secondly, at Werah Café, various art forms are showcased. I imagine a day when all these arts come together for a large event. I envision a great turnout, and I am determined to bring this vision to life.
Arts unite and connect people. I would love to see tourists attending our comedy shows at Werah Café as they pass through Rundu.
I look forward to the growth of comedy in Namibia and to forming international collaborations.
I plan to mentor female comedians in Rundu and across Namibia.
We invite the corporate sector to enhance their year-end events with comedy performances. Remember, a laughing employee is a motivated and satisfied employee!
Final words:
Let’s come together and experience a good time. Bring your family and spend a night out with laughter. Comedy is truly therapeutic!
You can follow Dennis on social media:
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HOTA is excited about the opportunity to collaborate and support the work of Mr. Dennis and The Legend Comedy Club. We comment them for the hard work and commitment they have shown. We therefore encourage the people of Rundu to support Comedy and all the other forms of Art because Art is indeed therapy for the body, mind and soul!
HOTA Team
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