President Uhuru Kenyatta says upgrade of national theatre will promote art

Naikara Secondary School entertains President Uhuru Kenyatta and other Government officials at Sagana State Lodge, Nyeri County. [PHOTO: PSCU]

By GEORGE ORIDO

NYERI COUNTY: President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked for a more focused programme to identify and promote talent among the youth as half of the country’s population is below 15 years.

He thanked budding artistes for showing a keen interest in Kenya’s heritage and pledged financial and policy support to talent development.

“The rehabilitation of the Kenya National Theatre is currently underway and there are other projects in the pipeline geared towards promoting the arts,” he said.

Addressing winners, teachers and adjudicators of the just concluded 55th edition of the annual Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri, President Kenyatta recognised education as a key factor in nurturing young people’s holistic growth.

Wednesday, Uhuru sampled the best performances from the festival with Daniel Owira of Highway Secondary School, Brian Oloo of Oriwo Boys and Emily Wanjiru of Gachororo ECD leaving him in stitches with their presentations.

The Master of Ceremonies Sirengo Kahemba introduced Owira as, “your son, Your Excellency.”

Owira, who last year left a mark with his debut story Otonglo, did not disappoint when he took to the stage to tell the story of Apondi Situnya- the only girl in Form Four at Manywanda Od Otenga Mixed Day Harambee School.

On joining Form One, Owiro narrates how he suffered bullying and disenfranchisement from his seniors. His expected salvation when he gatecrashed a school party, where Situnya served him some cake, backfires when he suffers the effects of the cakes’ contents that included hard drugs.

The narrative attempts to address how subtly students are introduced to drugs. When Oloo hit the stage with his winning narrative Arise to The Occasion, he left the audience in stitches when, in a witty and pithy use of words, he told of his tribulations as a student determined to pass examinations through hook or crook. He not only got examination leakage for the wrong paper but was caught red handed chewing the clandestine paper to destroy evidence.

But that did not help and he ended up in prison to serve two years and returned to school a changed and hardworking lad.

But saving the best for the last born, kindergarten pupil Wanjiru rocked the crowd with her solo verse Mvua Hii. Here the persona wets her bed but is puzzled why it rains everyday on her bed yet she has even taken measures to get an umbrella.

SCHOOL LAPTOPS

“That solo verse from Emily was incredible,” said the Science and Technology Principal Secretary Dr Collette Suda during her speech.

Makutano S A Primary School pleaded with parents to leave them alone in so far as laptops in school are concerned.

“These young ones are the future Lupita Nyong’os. We have had the most entertaining two hours of our lives,” said Nderitu Gachagua, the Governor of Nyeri County.

Murang’a Teachers Training College, Kenyatta University, Naikara Secondary School and Vuga Primary School thrilled with their cultural dances The Key, Saint Tina, Eselenkei and Kadide.

Other teams that performed included Wajir Secondary School with their choral verse Kavule.