Pupils thrill packed audience in music festival at Kasarani

It was colour and pomp as primary schools presented folk dances in the Turkana and Pokot category during the Kenya Music Festival on Wednesday.

Vigorous traditional dances, featuring colourful costumes and good choreography marked the third day of the event at the Safaricom Stadium, Kasarani in Nairobi County.

The young performers lit up Hall 5 of the stadium, which was packed to the rafters.

Pokotom Primary School from Turkana County carried the day with their energetic dance, followed by Napelilm Primary and Kodich Primary.

Other dances performed in the category, included those of the Borana, Somali, Maasai and Samburu communities. Nabeia and Lokicha primary schools also featured in the highly competitive category.

Winners in the Borana folk dance were Kalkacha Primary School, Samburu Muslim Primary School were second while Oljodi Primary School, third.

Karalacha from Tana River presented an Omo folk song. This was unique and outstanding piece scored 90 per cent.

In the Borana folk dance category, Antubochiu Primary school impressed with a dance on good leadership. 

The dance urged the public to praise leaders who deliver and shun those who are only full of rhetoric.

Fidelis Kawira made good work of it as the soloist of the piece, which was choreographed by Mercy Kaimbati.

St Paul’s Primary School from Samburu County presented a Samburu folk song. Jackson Lenpir was the main instrumentalist, blowing a traditional Samburu cow horn.

In the main stadium, pupils competed in the Swahili choral verses, featured various themes, among them school holidays and corruption.

Laini Saba Primary School from Nairobi won the day with their highly entertaining verse, Kwa Nyanya.

The verse urged the society to let children relax and enjoy their school holidays instead of burdening them with school work. 

Children like to take a break and enjoy time with grandparents and other relatives and friends, the verse urged.

Others who did well in the category were St Mary’s Kanja and Chakareli primary schools.

Carol Academy from Nakuru was tops in the set poem performance, scoring an impressive 95 per cent. Rapogi Girls Primary School also did well in the category. 

Event’s executive secretary Ruth Agesa urged more Kenyans to attend the festival to enjoy the country’s diverse cultural heritage.

The event reflects the country’s colourful  heritage which is reflected in the languages, costumes, instruments and dance styles presented in the festival,  Ms Agesa said.

“The music festival is the best event for Kenyans and foreign tourists to view our country’s culture,” she added.