The Eswatini International Comedy Festival (ECOFEST) has unveiled the first batch of comedians set to take the stage at the highly anticipated third edition of the festival.
The festival is scheduled to take place on September 25, 2026, at SibaneSami Hotel, bringing together comedians from Eswatini and across Southern Africa for a celebration of humour, culture and live performance.
The first batch of confirmed performers features Darren from Eswatini, Simphiwe Shembe and Smowkey from South Africa, Q Dube from Zimbabwe, OD Brooks from Botswana, Inspector Pamela from Zambia, Masapo from Lesotho and Courage from Namibia. 
The diverse lineup is expected to allow audiences to experience different comedic styles from across the region, with performers from several Southern African countries coming together on one stage.
However, festival organisers have stressed that the announced names do not represent the final lineup.
ECOFEST founder and festival director Dr Shakes said additional comedians were still in the process of confirming their availability for the September 25 event.
“This is not yet our final lineup. Due to time constraints, we still have a few comedians who need to confirm their availability for the 25th of September, especially our local Swati comedians.
That’s why you’ll notice that we currently have only one local comedian on the lineup, alongside some of our international guests,” he said.
While the first announcement includes only Darren as a local act, Dr Shakes said the organisers were still working to secure additional Swati comedians before the final programme is released.
The festival has, over its previous editions, positioned itself as a platform for comedians to showcase their talent while exposing local audiences to performers from outside Eswatini.
The third edition continues that regional approach, with comedians from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana and Zambia already confirmed.
At the same time, Zimbabwe and Namibia are also represented in the first batch of announced acts.
According to Dr Shakes, more names will be revealed once their participation has been finalised.
“This will be the third edition of the Eswatini International Comedy Festival, taking place at Sibane Sami Hotel on 25 September 2026,” he said.
The festival director said audiences could expect strong regional representation as the organisers work to put together a programme that brings together established and emerging comedy voices.
“We have comedians coming from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Zambia, with more exciting names to be announced as we finalise the lineup.
It’s going to be a great celebration of comedy from across the region,” he said.
The inclusion of international comedians is expected to add a regional dimension to the festival, allowing audiences to experience different approaches to stand-up comedy while also allowing local performers to share the stage with comedians from neighbouring countries.
Tickets are currently available through MojaTicket at E150 during the presale period, while those purchasing tickets at the door will pay E200.
With the festival entering its third edition, ECOFEST is set to once again bring together comedy enthusiasts for a night centred on stand-up performances, regional talent and live entertainment.
