All set for East African Music, Dance and Drama Festival

Laiser Hill Academy students display trophies they won during Kenya National Drama Festival on August 25, 2017. They will represent Kenya during the East African Music, Dance and Drama Festival which begins on Monday in Mbarara, Uganda. PHOTO | ANTHONY NJAGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The event will run from August 28 to September 4 and will bring together learning institutions from the East African Community.
  • Kakamega High School,  perennial winners in the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival,  will present a play, The Web, scripted by Oliver Minishi and  ‘’Wahanga Henna’’ a Luhya cultural dance.
  • In the music and dance categories, Kenya will be represented by Mukumu Girls, Chavakali High School, Bungoma High and Ikerege High School.

Kenya is sending a strong contingent to the East African Music, Dance and Drama Festival which kicks off on August 28 in Mbarara, Uganda.

The country will be represented by the top 13 items from this year's Kenya National Drama Festivals and the top seven items from the Kenya National Music Festivals.

The event, which will run from August 28 to September 4, will bring together learning institutions from the East African Community countries.

From Western region, Kakamega High School will take a dance and a play to the festival, while Lirhanda  Girls High School will present their winning choral verse, 'Katapila Kipepe'.

Kakamega High School, perennial winners in the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival, will present a play, 'The Web', scripted by Oliver Minishi and  "Wahanga Henna’’ a Luhya cultural dance.

Laiser Hill Academy from Rift Valley will also present a play, "The Rubble" scripted by Anthony Kirimi.

POPULAR

The play revolves around the doings of a retired veterinary officer who starts a butchery in his hometown.

The butchery proves very popular and is famed for serving the best meat in town.

However, the building is literally a sand castle and comes crumbling down, exposing carcasses inside which customers discover are dogs.

The man had been collaborating with the city council officers and almost every other authority involved to do his evil trade, thus the unimaginative title,  'The Rubble'

ALLEGORY

The play came second to Kakamega High's during the Kenya Drama Festival that was held at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu in April this year.

It was directed by the dynamic team of Kelvin Kiromo, Brank ,Mc’Carthy, Leo Okuku, Odniel Kimani and stars Mauricio Massimo as the villain and Joanne Kamau as his colluding daughter.  

From left: Patricia Kawera, Morphine Williams and Esther Njeri of Laiser Hill Academy present their play 'The Rubble' scripted by Antony Kirimi during the Kenya National Drama Festival in Kisumu on August 25, 2017. PHOTO | ANTHONY NJAGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The play is an apt allegory on the corruption that bedevils the Kenyan society.

“My aim was to show that corruption can start from the grassroots level. Even you or your neighbour can be involved without actually knowing it,” said Mr Kirimi.

DANCE

St Pauls Shikunga from western region will present their winning cultural dance, Iloto.

In the modern dance category, which involves youth bringing out their best talents in dancing, Kenya will be represented by Kegonge Boys Boys High School from Eastern region with a piece entitled Mosquito Squad.

Others in the category are Mary Hill Girls from Central region with a dance, Melanin, and Nembu Girls from Nairobi with Uzalendo.

St Teresa Girls High School from Nyanza will present a narrative while Wareng High School from Rift Valley will present a stand-up comedy .

MUSIC

The Deputy Director of Field and Coordination of Co-curricular activities in the Ministry of Education, Sirengo Khaemba said the Kenyan contingent was very well prepared to showcase the country's drama and music talent.

Laiser Hill Academy students present their play "The Rubble". PHOTO | ANTHONY NJAGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In the music and dance categories, Kenya will be represented by Mukumu Girls, Chavakali High School, Bungoma High and Ikerege High School.

Narok High and Ngenia Boys will also be in the mix, as well as State House Girls and Upper Hill Boys who will present a joint set-piece.

“Our teams are good. We will represent the country well,” said Ruth Egesa, the executive secretary for the Kenya Music Festival.

Ms Egesa travelled to Uganda earlier to prepare for the arrival of the Kenyan team and she is also attending the East African Secondary schools games in Gulu Uganda.

Among the officials who will be guiding the Kenyan team at the festival are Chokera Kahura, the Kenya Drama Festivals Chairman and his counterpart, Peter Wanjohi of the Kenya Music Festival