Mount Kenya takes varsity title

Mount Kenya University was crowned the overall winner in the universities category as curtains closed on the national drama festival in Nakuru.

During the closing ceremony at Melvin Jones Hall on Wednesday evening, MKU took honours for the winning dance, the winning modern dance, the second best solo verse, the winning advert and the third best film play.

The university rode on the success of its many entries staged by students from its various campuses during the 56th edition of the festival.

Its students will today make their grand appearance at the State Concert at State House, Nakuru, with their winning Luhya cultural dance Shisanda.

The dance, which was choreographed by Mr Mark Wabuli and produced by Prof Stanley Waudo, has a  strong cultural identity in which two wives compete for the  king’s eye.

MKU’s winning trick perhaps, is its courses offered by the Institute of Film, Creative and Performing Arts, which has attracted talent from various regions to its Kakamega campus.

Another item on the concert  programme is Dagoretti High School’s original and unique winning cultural dance Khakasa choreographed by Mr Hudson Wafula and produced by Mr B.K. Ngature.

The dance features fresh chanted metaphorical songs with a unique style of choreography that relies heavily on the dancers as opposed to décor and set.

FUNCTIONAL FAMILY

The set comprises simple items such as logs, with minimum hand props. The story exalts the importance of a functional family unit as the basis of a society’s progress.

Thika ECDE School from Aberdares  will present a singing game titled Eating Healthy,  Chepsai Primary School from Nzoia an oral narrative called Sina Makosa and  Shimo La Tewa School a choral verse Tabia Badiliko.

Others will be Thika School for the Blind from Aberdare with a dance (Boom),  Nembu Girls High School from Metropolitan with a modern dance (Love Defined) and St Kizito ECD from the Lake Region with a solo verse  (Mwizi wa Mapenzi).

Kyeni Girls High School,  representing Highlands, will present a cultural dance titled Otonga Bwetu, Wajir High School from Northern Region a  stand-up comic Masquarados, Lubinu Secondary School from Nzoia  a French solo verse and  Asumbi TTC from Lake Region  a stand-up comedy,  Mambo Mbabo.

Others that will present winning items to State guests will be Booker Academy, Nakuru Lions Primary School and St Mary’s Yala. The National Youth Service will close the programme with a modern dance Blushes.

Meanwhile, a student from Karima Girls High School clinched the best female soloist’s trophy for the third consecutive year. Sheila Karima, a Form Four student, won the prize with her school’s  cultural dance Wedo Wa Bururi. “It is all a matter of team work,” she said.

In another highlight, a school from Tharaka-Nithi County emerged the best in the film category, despite its pupils failing to attend the competition due to lack of Sh65,000. Instead, Nyaki Njeru Primary School submitted a CD recording of its item, The Cactus, which was adjudicated and won in the newly started category that had more than 100 competitors.

Additional reporting by Alex Njeru