Akite Agnes (born 19 March 1983) is a Ugandan stand-up comedian, actress, MC, and philanthropist. She is popularly known for her role as Arach[1] in the series The Hostel. She has also acted in Pearl Magic's Girl from Mparo as Mama Brian, the nosy neighbour. Her style of comedy reflects on the daily issues that people face as they go about their lives.
Agnes was born on 19 March 1983, in Kampala, Uganda, to Anthony Opio, an auditor, and Hellen Opio. She is the fifth of nine children.[2] She spent her early years in Kitintale and later moved to Mutungo, both suburbs of Kampala. Raised in the Catholic faith, Agnes attended St. Kizito Primary School in Bugolobi. She continued her education at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Gayaza, for her secondary studies. Agnes completed her Uganda Certificate of Education at Naalya Secondary School in Namugongo and went on to pursue her A-levels at St. Lawrence Creamland Campus, achieving her Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education. In 2003, she enrolled at Makerere University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in tourism[3].
In 2009, Agnes was approached by Anne Kansiime to act in a new TV comedy series called The Hostel after her friend, Pamela, had turned it down. She was given the part of Arach without auditioning.[4] This was the beginning of her acting career. The Hostel was a popular series in Uganda, initially shown on NTV and later on DStv. Agnes stayed on the show for three seasons and left in 2012, as she was preparing to give birth to her second child, Brianna.
In 2014, she began her comedy act with a group called The Punchliners, after being persuaded by Anne Kansiime and Daniel Omara to try stand-up comedy.[4][3] She later joined Comedy Files.
In 2015, she was part of the Queens of Comedy Uganda vs Kings of Comedy Rwanda in Kigali.
In 2016, she appeared in Girl from Mparo as Mama Brian, a series that aired on UBC[5] and later on DSTV's Pearl Magic.
In 2018, when her contract with Comedy Files ended, Agnes started doing solo acts on different comedy platforms, including Rock Comedy and Comedy Store Ug, hosted by Alex Muhangi. In June, she appeared in the Kampala Comedy Festival, hosted by Okello Okello, a renowned comedian in Uganda.[6] On her return to Comedy Stores UG in August, she impressed the crowd.[7] The clip for that show went viral on WhatsApp, where she was heaped with praise.[8] She attributed the popularity of the clip to Comedy Store, which has an active social media account, and Kakensa Media, which have a huge following on Facebook.[4] Between August and November, Agnes was a permanent member of the UG Pineapple Comedy Tour, which took her to different parts of the country, including Mbale, Gulu, Fort Portal, Jinja, and Mbarara.[9] She was part of the group from Comedy Store Ug that went to Mbarara for its maiden show outside Kampala.[10] Agnes featured for the first time in the fourth episode of Africa Laughs on 8 October at Kampala Serena Hotel,[11] hosted by Patrick Salvador Idringi, with other comedians such as Basketmouth, Alfred Kainga, Eddie Kadi, Mc Jesse, Professor Haimo, and Arthur Nkusi. In December, she resumed acting, this time with Fun Factory in a TV series called Mizigo Express, as Sam's girlfriend.
In early March 2019, Agnes created and hosted the Arise Woman! Comedy Jam[2] on International Women's Day. In celebration of the holiday, the show comprised an all-female cast,[12] which included Nancy Kobusheshe, Maggie the Bwaiserian, Rich Mouth, Dora Nakagga, Leila Kachapizo, and the Fun Factory ladies. Part of the proceeds of the show was given to charity.[13] In late March, Agnes returned to Kigali as part of the Seka Fest, with comedians from Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria.[14] In April, she appeared on The Comedian's OutLuke Podcast, presented by comedian Luke Anthony as part of a Uganda Special.[4] In July 2019, she was one of the Ugandan comedians who performed in the Laugh Festival in Nairobi, Kenya,[15] and in September, she performed at the Uganda North America Association Convention in Chicago. In December, she headlined the One Africa Festival, in a bid to fight xenophobia at Port Elizabeth, South Africa.[16]
Agnes went on to host the second season of Arise Woman Comedy Jam in March 2020, which featured female comedians from Fun Factory Uganda as well as Anne Kansiime, among others.[17] In October 2022, Agnes was the opening act in Patrick Salvado Idringi's Africa Laughs sixth edition.[18][19][20]
On 23 October 2024, she hosted her first solo show at the national theatre, titled Son of Opio.[2]
Ladies of the Fun Factory doing a skit during the Arise Woman! Comedy Show
Style of comedy
Agnes's style of stand-up is observational comedy, where she points out the funny side of daily life. She also sometimes uses self-deprecation in her humour.[1] She avoids political humour.[21]
Agnes is the fifth-born[2] in a family of two brothers and six sisters. She is the mother of two children. She is Catholic and attends Our Lady of Africa Church.[22] On 9 November 2023, she was attacked and beaten up by thugs as she made her way back home from a quiz night in Najjera, sustaining a head wound and a bruised eye.[2][23]
Mbarara District is a district in South Western Uganda. In 2019, the Ugandan Cabinet approved part of Mbarara District, the then-Mbarara municipality, to be upgraded to city status effective July 2020.
Mbarara City is a city in the Western Region of Uganda and the second largest city in Uganda after Kampala. The city is divided into 6 boroughs of Kakoba Division, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Division, Nyakayojo Division. It is the main commercial centre of most of south western districts of Uganda and the site of the district headquarters. In May 2019, the Uganda's cabinet granted Mbarara a city status, which started on 1 July 2020.
Bweranyangi Girls' Secondary School is a girls-only boarding middle and high school in Bushenyi District in the Western Region of Uganda.
Rehema Namakula, known professionally as Rema Namakula or simply Rema, is a Ugandan singer, songwriter and music producer.
Kansiime Kubiryaba Anne and popularly known as Anne Kansiime, is a Ugandan entertainer, comedian, and actress. She has been referred to as "Africa's Queen of Comedy" by some African media outlets.
The Mbarara–Ntungamo–Kabale–Katuna Road in Western Uganda connects the city of Mbarara, in Mbarara District, with the towns of Ntungamo, Kabale and Katuna at the international border with the Republic of Rwanda.
Herbert Mendo Ssegujja, is a Ugandan comedian and actor, who performs under the name Teacher Mpamire. He is most famous for mimicking the Ugandan president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. He assumes the stage name Teacher Mpamire.
Alex Emix Muhangi, commonly known as Alex Muhangi, is a Ugandan comedian, actor sound engineer, director and host of the comedy show, Comedy Store Uganda. He was listed as one of the top 10 Ugandan comedians and personalities in 2016 and 2017 by New Vision and as one of the pioneers of standup comedy in the English language in Uganda.
Comedy Store Uganda, is a weekly live stand-up comedy show that was created in 2016 by comedian Alex Muhangi, who is also the host since the show’s inception. The show is recorded on Wednesdays at UMA Multi-Purpose Hall Lugogo in Kampala and airs Fridays on NTV Uganda.
Arise Woman! Comedy Jam is a Ugandan stand-up comedy show created and hosted by Akite Agnes. The event happens annually on International Women's Day in celebration of the achievements of the woman in the society and has an all female cast. The show takes place yearly on 8 March. Proceeds from each show go to an identified Charity organisation
Bed of Thorns (#Tosirika) is a Ugandan, all-female crew produced drama film directed and produced by Eleanor Nabwiso under the Nabwiso Films banner. The film addresses the issue of gender-based and domestic violence. It stars media personality Malaika Tenshi Nnyanzi, Diana Kahunde, youtuber and social media comedian Martha Kay, Agnes Kebirungi, Michael Wawuyo Jr., Housen Mushema, Sara Kisawuzi and Patrick Salvador Idringi. The film premiered on 30 March 2019 at a red carpet event at Century Cinema Kamwokya, Kampala.
Patrick Idringi, known as Patrick Salvado, is a Ugandan comedian, actor, master of ceremonies, radio personality and engineer. He is also known as "The Arrogant Man". He was first runner up in the MultiChoice Africa organised comedy competition, Standup Uganda in 2009. He reached the semi-finals of the World's Funniest Person competition in 2016 and was nominated in 2017 and 2018 in the Savannah Comic Choice Awards as the Pan African Comic of the Year. He is also quite known for his sheer arrogance and hypocrisy
Kyaddala is a Ugandan drama television series by Reach a Hand Uganda. The first season was produced by Emmanuel Ikubese Films and Reach a Hand Uganda. Set in a present day high school life, Kyaddala a Luganda word for "It's Real", focuses on real life social issues that affect young people across Africa and their attempts to overcome those issues. The series features actors and actresses from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Kyaddala premiered on 27 September 2019 at Kingdom Kampala.
Fun Factory Uganda is a Ugandan entertainment company based in Kampala. It was founded in 2010, with its flagship product being sketch comedy. It also has branched into television shows and event management. FFU's cast are trained at Makerere University School of Liberal and Performing Arts. Their products include Comedicine, U-Turn, and Mizigo Express.
Eunice Wanjiru Njoki, known as Mammito, is a Kenyan stand-up comedian, actress, writer and an mcee. She grew up in the slums of Kibera.
Richard Tuwangye is a Ugandan actor, comedian, and musician. He is a founding member of Fun Factory Uganda.
Kenneth Kimuli Amooti is a Ugandan comedian, playwright and journalist. He is well known as Pablo in the Ugandan comedy circles. He won the first Multi-Choice Stand Up Uganda comedy competition. After losing both parents to HIV/AIDS at an early age, he has formed charity organisations; Pill Power Uganda and Tangaza Arts Centre which aim to support youth living with HIV/AIDS.
Abbas Kaijuka is a Ugandan fashion designer, stylist and fashion collector known for his brand Kai's Divo. He is a recipient of the East Africa’s Male Fashion Designer of the Year award at the 2020 East Africa Fashion Awards and the Fashion Designer of the Year award at the 2016 Abryanz Style & Fashion Awards and received various nominations including the East African Designer of the year award at the 2017 Swahili Fashion Week.
Cotilda Inapo is a Ugandan female stand-up comedian, actress, freelance copywriter, motivational speaker and events host who joined professional comedy in 2009 as the first officially recognized female standup Comedienne in Uganda. She was a regular with the Crackers whose performances were broadcast as the "Mic Check" comedy show on NTV and NBS from 2010 to 2013
Nkusi Arthur, commonly known as Arthur or Rutura, is a Rwandan entrepreneur, comedian, actor, media personality, and campaigner. He is the founder of Arthur Nation Ltd, where he serves as creative director.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
