Kenyans shine at East African music and drama fete in Kampala
The festival performances took place at three different venues; Kings College Buddo, Buddo Senior School and Trinity College Nabingo
Kenyan colleges and schools shone during the just-concluded East Africa Music, Dance and Drama Festival held in Kampala, Uganda.
Among the top performers were Mount Kenya University (MKU), Alupe University, Trinity College Nabingo of Uganda and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) whose drama and music team performances thrilled East Africans in the Ugandan capital.
Other institutions in the festivals were Kenyan teams that excelled in both Kenya national drama festivals and the Kenya National Music and Drama Festivals.
In music, Alliance High School, Ngenia High School, Friends school Senende, Karen C, Dakabaricha High School, Sosit Girls, Muthetheni Girls, Mandera High School, Narock High School, Alupe University.
In drama, Alliance Girls High School once again thrilled the audience along with Fesbeth Academy, Moi High School Mbiruri, Laiser Hill Academy, Moi Girls Isinya, Sega Girls, Ramba High School and KICD.
The festival performances took place at three different venues; Kings College Buddo, Buddo Senior School and Trinity College Nabingo.
At the opening ceremony, Ugandan First Lady and Education minister Janet Museveni, together with Kenya’s Director General of Education Elyas Abdi Jillaow promised to strengthen the cooperation between Kenya and Uganda in matters education.
MKU drama students presented various items during the festival that took place from August 18 to 24 and among the exciting presentations were the solo dance, stand-up comedy, solo verse, spoken word, mime, narrative and live broadcast.
The MKU students’ performance at this high-end level came just months after winning numerous awards and subsequently winning the Kenya national drama festival best overall university and most prolific university.
Henry Jomo, the MKU drama group leader, was full of joy after participating in the festival for the second year in a row; 2024 as a high school student under Fesbeth Academy and now as a university student representing MKU.
“This is the epicentre of creative arts, this festival gives the East African vibe and here we are able to learn from the other institutions. We have seen some of the best African performances ever, especially dances,” he said.
MKU Sports, Film and Creative Arts coordinator William Luta commended organisers and the host country Uganda for the wonderful hosting and planning.
“The levels have been top notch at these festivals compared to the previous year, this is the growth we want in creative arts and cultural performance growth economy. I can see good viable presentations that are deep routed in cultural holding,” Luta mused.
He added: “Performing here is a great value addition to our thespians, we are committed to continue exposing and giving our students opportunities to excel in what they love doing on matters talent growth.”
Jillaow noted that Mount Kenya university was the first university to be invited for the East African Music and Drama Championship in 2023 and they were making a second appearance after being crowned the best university at the Kenya Drama and Film Festival.
