Anti-graft messages dominate performances at music festival

Huruma Girls perform a poem titled Mikono at the Metropolitan Regional Music Festival held at Mwaani Girls in Makueni. (Photo: George Orido/Standard)

Anti-corruption theme dominated the second day of Metropolitan Regional Music Festival in Makueni County Thursday.

In a poem titled 'Mikono', Huruma Girls from Nairobi espouses the virtues of honesty and integrity across the social spectrum.

"Do not bribe/do not take it/but use your hands and the fruits of labour will make all happy," goes part of the poem written by Brian Momanyi and Mugeke Chebuga, recited at the Metropolitan edition of the Kenya Music Festival at Mwaani Secondary School.

Students of Precious Girls Riruta, in their poem, said it was important to not just castigate the villains in society but to also recognise the good deeds by others.

They particularly narrowed down to teachers in their poem titled 'Angels on Earth', by Vincent Ateya.

In the piece, the girls say Angels are in heaven but they have met some angels on Earth – in reference to teachers – who form strong foundations for them and take care of their lives in the absence of their parents.

Nairobi's Buru Buru Girls and Kinyui Girls from Machakos as well as St Lawrence from Makueni urged Kenyans to have a new beginning in their set piece 'A New Day'.

"Arise, a new day has began, the dawn is breaking without delay to usher in the fresh and new, to welcome the day," goes the song.

Yet State House Girls called for divine intervention in their sacred folk Luo song, 'Ruoth Ohinga'.

The song was a clear indication that matters corruption had taken a toll on the citizenry and prayer was a solution.

Earlier, Ryan Kazungu of Mawewa School from Nairobi had moved the audience with his public speech on the wind of betting that has taken the youth by storm.

He warns that too much of betting was risky because many a youth did not get time to be creative and create wealth.

He won the category and got a beautiful trophy donated by the Central Bank of Kenya.

It was not all gloom as Lukenya Girls Centre of Excellence presented a Baganda song cum dance.

The soloist, Salma Mohammed, did well in leadership of the troupe, commanding them comfortably with her melodious voice.

Machakos Girls performed an adaptation of an Akamba folk song rendered during weddings. The song, directed by Shadrack Sila, urges the bride, Nthemba, to be a good mother.

Mbooni Girls also performed an Akamba folk song that was choreographed by Josephine Musili and Agnes Mbithe.

Festival Secretary Pius Mutinda observed that the fete had shown a rise in standards, and the competition among schools was getting tighter.

During the opening ceremony, Makueni Deputy Governor Adelina Mwau lauded music as an important channel of communication.

"The entertainment factor in music makes it such an appealing form of sending crucial messages and that's why this festival is important," she said.

She noted that the history of Kenya was well told in its music, and she looked forward to listening to the oldies (zilizopendwa) category.

Also present at the opening ceremony was a senior Central Bank of Kenya official, Philip Kandie, who represented the CBK Governor.