No More 'Outsiders' in The Kenyan Drama Festival Script Preparation

Professor. George Godia

The Kenyan Ministry of Education banned outsourcing of drama festival script writers. The Ministry of Education has banned the writing of scripts by people who are not students or teachers, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry, George Godia has said.

Godia asked the Kenya National Drama Association to streamline the rules and regulations that govern the operations of the association to ensure strangers do not hijack the writing and performance during the National Schools & Colleges Drama Festival in future. He said that the annual National Drama festival was an extension of the classroom work that students were exposed to, saying that the writing of scripts and their performance must strictly be done by students with the guidance of teachers and not outsiders. This is to enable the students to develop their creative talents in writing scripts, directing and in production of plays and other creative activities.

He was speaking during the Kenya National Drama Festival Gala at The Aga Khan High School Hall in Mombasa on Thursday. Last week, the High Court directed the Ministry of Education to allow the staging of a play, entitled The Shackles of Doom by Butere Girls High School, saying its was incendiary in its thematic thrust, hence violating the guidelines that the National Drama festival had spelt out for script writing to schools. The script had reportedly been written by writer who is neither a student nor a teacher.

The Permanent Secretary said outsourcing the writing of scripts and the whole production and direction of the plays by people who are not teachers or students denied a chance to students to develop their talents in creative arts. “It also denies a chance to the Ministry to place responsibility on the schools if and when it may become necessary to do so,” Godia noted.

The sentiments were supported by the Chairman of the National Drama festival, Mr. Kahura Chokera who said that strangers to the formal school system were exploiting students for their own ends. He said non teachers should use other avenues to ventilate their creative energies instead of exploiting students for their own political and other ends.

Kenyan State House Concert Items - 2013 Kenyan Drama Festivals

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta will today morning host winners of the annual Kenya Drama Festivals at State House Mombasa. Festival Executive Secretary Khaemba Sirengo said the programme would start at 10am with an electrifying dance called ‘Bushi’ produced by Oliver Minishi from Kakamega High School.

There will also be ‘The Round About’, a play by St Anthony School for the Hearing Impaired as well as Bungoma High School’s Ti Ti Ti directed by Toili. From the Abardares Region children will spice the President’s menu with a choral verse ‘Chapati’ in praise of a Kenyan delicacy, whose popularity is arguably only second to our staple food, Ugali. ‘Chapati’ is produced by Everlyne Wanjohi and directed by Lucy Ayoyi and Lucy Kariuki. Sony Sugar from Nyanza will perform a choral verse ‘Chaguo Letu’ as their counterparts Nyandiwa Teachers Training College entertain with a humourous narrative ‘Waumini Assembly’.

H.E Uhuru Kenya arrives in Mombasa

The President and his guests will find it hard to stop their ribs tickling when Highway Secondary School’s Daniel Ouma hits the stage with his narrative ‘Otonglo Time’.
Nakuru Lions will provide discourse on pertinent issues on drug abuse among children as they present their play ‘Friendly Fire’. They will give way to Nairobi Aviation’s solo verse ‘Galana’. Kisii University will perform a choral ‘Utumishi’ as Karima Girls’ provide the icing on the cake with a dance ‘Thayu’.

Expected to attend include representatives of sponsoring institutions including the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, National Authority for Campaign against Drugs and Substance Abuse, Kenya Bureau of Standards, French Embassy and Equity Bank among others. Those lined to speak include the Festival Chairman Mr Kahura Chokera and Education PS Prof George Godia.

 

Here Is the full list of institutions set to perform at the State House gala.

1. Kakamega HighSchool - Dance

2. Gachororo ECD- Singing Game

3. AIC Makutano- Narrative

4. St. Antony- Play in sign Language

5. Sony Sugar Primary School- Choral Verse

6. Nakuru Lions- Play

7. Vuga Primary- Dance

8. Kisii University- Choral Verse

9. Waa Girls'- French Solo

10. Highway Secondary - Narrative

11. Nairobi Aviation - Solo Verse

12. Nyandiwa TTC- Narrative

13. Karima Girls'- Dance

2013 Kenya Drama Festival Winners

By: Kenya Drama Festivals(Notes) .

Friends School, Kamusinga made a dramatic comeback by winning the top honours in the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama Festival narratives.The two-week event hosted at the Aga Khan High School in Mombasa ended on Wednesday. Friends School last won the trophy in the 1990s, and in the last five years, it has always ended as first runners-up, losing out to new entrants. Not so this year, as Selu Selu, a play written by students, carried the day.

It highlighted the challenges that face the digital generation, which is addicted to Facebook, a social media platform that allows friends to share information. The play explored the dangers of Internet addiction. It was performed to a packed audience that included Prof George Godia, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, the event’s national chairman, Mr Chokera Kahura, Education Secretary Enos Oyaya and other officials. The show earned a standing ovation for its currency and ability to capture current affairs and captivate the audience. The story recollects the episodes of a young man, Selu Selu, in his quest to find acceptance. He joins the social networking site to satisfy his ambitions, but this turns out to be a two-edged sword.

Pupils of Lions Primary School - 2013 Drama Festivals

The play was scripted by Jan Gesora, a Form Four student, Jesse Wamwayi, (Form Three) and Fred Leaky, also a Form Three student. It was directed by Wamwayi and Carolyne Asanda and produced by Mr Edwin Namachanja, the school’s principal. Among technical training institutes, the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC) were the winners in the play category with Expandables in 3D. Nairobi Aviation were second with Acts of Subterfuge, while Mombasa Aviation came third with Dege. The best producer trophy went to Hiram Mucheke from KIMC. Zetech College were awarded for the most creative dance. They were followed by KIMC. Other winners included Kisumu Polytechnic, which carried the day in the oral narratives category.

Kenya Drama Festivals - Analayzing Winners in The Primary Section

St. Peter’s Boys Mumias Primary school emerged the winners of this year’s Schools Drama festival with their play Swing Swing. Celebrations marked with singing and loud Isikuti drums rent the air at the Aga Khan High School where the results were being announced to a highly expectant audience.Written and directed by Benjamin Wandal, Rollington Washika and Victor Achisa, the play is a mirror of life and appreciates that it is full of ups and downs.

The memorable cast of Collins Okiya, Kennedy Shievo and Fidel Felix Otieno grabbed many individual awards of distinction at the festival, which this year attracted the participation of over 10,000 students. Nakuru Lions kept tradition, coming in strongly to get the second position with their play, Friendly Fire written by Lilian Madigo. Directed by Felix Ochieng and Francis Agik, the play depicts an enemy from within where the personal assistant of the family matriarch introduces drugs to an asthmatic child who later becomes dependent on it.

The play urges caution on how close parents want to have their children engage with outsiders who not only contribute very little to the well-being of the family but also are a source of risk to the children. The performances by Eugene Andai, Ivy Nyambura and Grace Wendoh stood out. The Last Samantha from Legacy Schools in Kitale, took third position. Bukirimu R.C Primary School cemented the Western Kenya dominance of the top accolades when they indisputably ran away with the dance trophy. Their dance, Class Six was child-centred and delved into the issue of conflict among pupils in the class.

Fluid movement

It depicts a class bedeviled by poor peer representation and leadership, then through consultative process a new prefect is appointed and peace reigns thereafter. The children were not just well rehearsed for their dance, their fluid movement and well-choreographed dance steps infused drama within so that a clear story was told in a Luhya idiom.

Most amazing was the traditional Isikuti and Ishiriri orchestral instrumentalists which gave a superior level of accompaniment never seen before in the festival.

Written and directed by Mukhebi Martin Sungura, the danceis produced by Wilfred Musuya and their cast including Lucy Barasa, Mirriam Juma,Millah Mulunda and Fred Wamalwa did not disappoint.

Vuga Primary from Mombasa took the silver with an equally impressive dance Kadzo from the Digo Community. Written and choreographed by Lydia Pendo and NacyKarisa the dance depicts sexual harassment meted out on a female pupil by her own teacher.

Mwanamisi Mrema, Latifa Dawa, and Njira Kanzovu gave true leadership exhibited in their quality musical melody and soloist abilities. Their compatriots from Tudor Primary School, Mombasa took the bronze with the dance Mean Score, depicting the over-emphasis put on class work, at times to the detriment of the growth of the child. Lugulu Boarding School snatched the best narrative award with their story Pota Pota.

AIC Makutano Primary took position two with their item Bamba 20 as Victory Academy from Mombasa took second runners-up position. Nakuru Lions once again made a strong impression of themselves when they floored their contemporaries in the choral verse category, which they roaredin with their verse Purukushani Cheche. Chaguo Letu from Sony Complex and Kijibati from Carol Academy took second and third honors, respectively.

Nairobi got some lifeline when Makini School scooped the best award in solo verse with their piece, The Letter. Hot on their heels were Booker Academy from Nzoia with Reflections followed by Carole Academy with I Saw You in Myself.

Special needs

In this festival, mentally-impaired children preformed for the first time with St Catherine Special School emerging tops with their item, DNA. Kwale School for the Mentally Handicapped and Ongata Rongai Special schools gave impressive performance to earn second and third positions, respectively. The Round a bout from St Anthony School for the Hearing Impaired took top position followed by Kwale School and Kenya School for the Deaf in their own unique category, the Kenya Sign Language. Kaaga School for the Deaf, Kerugoya School for the Deafand Eldoret School for Hearing impaired was also feted.

Festival Secretary Khaemba Sirengo reiterated the festival’s objective of inclusivity and said the festival will welcome all pupils with neither discrimination nor favour. This years’ festival theme was ‘Performing for National Healing and Reconciliation’ and the award ceremony was graced by Education Permanent Secretary Prof George Godia who emphasized the need to encourage scripting by the pupils themselves.

Today Friday 26^th April 2013, the winners will perform for President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House Gardens, Mombasa.

From: The Kenya Drama Festivals (Notes)

The National Drama Festivals Gala Perfromances

The National Drama Festivals, came to a close with the winning productions scheduled to feature at Gala Winners Show on the 23^RD April 2013.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY

Plays:

Kakamega High School (Western).

Riara Springs (Nairobi).

Dance:

Kakamega High School (Western).

Karima Girls (Central).

Narratives:

Kamusinga (Western).

Sironga Girls (Lake Region).

Chorals:

St. Joseph’s High School (Nakuru).

French play:

Lubinu Boys (Western).

PRIMARY SCHOOLS CATEGORY.

Plays:

St. Peters Mumias ( Western).

Lions Primary (Nakuru).

Dance:

Bukingo (Bungoma-Western).

Vunga Primary (Coast).

Narratives:

Lugulu Girls Boarding (Western).

Solo Verse:

Booker Academy

TEACHER COLLEGES CATEGORY

Play:

Kibabii(Nzoia – Western).

Dance:

Iregi TTC (Western).

Muranga TTC (Central).

COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES

KIMC – Nairobi.

‘Shackles of Doom’s Day’ At The 2013 Kenya National Drama Festival

MOMBASA, KENYA: The day started with amber sun rays piercing through the large Arabian windows that ventilate the Aga Khan High School auditorium. And as the clock ticked, theatre lovers continued to troop in numbers never seen before during the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival.

It was as if a Broadway Production was coming to town from Manhattan, New York City.
The fete’s organisers had their crowd control skills put to the test, with a huge battalion of police officers brought in to help maintain order as the sea of humanity turned out to watch Shackles of Doom. For an auditorium with a capacity of 400, it was obvious some of the over 2,000 people gathered outside the auditorium would be disappointed.

“Haki Yetu! Haki Yetu!,” was all they could say after realising their efforts to secure seats failed to bear fruit.And finally the time for Butere Girls’ students to take to the stage came as the adjudicators’ bell rang.The usually easy air turned tense and the arrival of human rights advocate and Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar did not make things any better.
“We have been good to you but you are so heartless. You came and took away our land as our husbands veins drains in labour,” came one of the stinging lines from the play as the young thespians got down to business.

This is the acid reaction by True Kanas to Mrs Kimani’s announcement of the new employees of the newly established Mafuta Oil Company.All plum jobs but those of labourers go to members of one community. Kimani, the proprietor of the land bought from the True Kanas, tries to assuage locals by appointing Lopush, a resident, as a watchman.This does not go down well with the residents, but Kimani cannot hear none of their complaints.Kimani’s meanness is further highlighted when he forcefully demanding to ‘sleep’ with Lopush’s bride on the eve of their wedding.

 Deafening applause
“Let me explain. I didn’t have anything with Kimani,” tries to explain Wamaitha, Lopush’s bride, after the groom busts them in his house. By this time, the audience is silent and their empathy for Lopush is manifest in the applause and deafening cheers. But payback time comes when Mafuta Oil Company catches fire and Kimani’s wife and the rest of the management from his community are trapped inside. Ironically, the person with key, Lopush, had just been unceremoniously expelled by Kimani. Kimani starts begging and as True Kanas realise he is helpless, they corner him. “Lynch him! It is payback time!” “Please for the sake of humanity, let me free, and open the gates!,” cries subdued Kimani.

“But when you took all position and left as slaves didn’t’ you think of humanity? Or when you denied us time out of work, or too all the land and siphoned all the profits, or even when you let effluence into the environment and our women miscarry and men die of Cancer?” asks a True Kana woman as the audience applause. But a voice of reason comes in and one of the community members pleads for forgiveness on his behalf. As the curtain falls on this controversial and much awaited piece, there is a standing ovation and in the Nigerian style, they all go Igwe! Igwe! Igwe! Banning of the play “This play is about us why ban it in the first place? What the drama committee was to have us burry our heads in the sand,” observes John Paul Wafula, a producer at the festival.

Senator Omar concurred: “These children are not destroying society, they are building it. They have raised fundamental issues afflicting us such as police brutality, tribalism, and unequal distribution of resources.”The National Cohesion and Integration Commission Vice Chairperson Milly Lwanga urged those who took offence with the choice of names to face reality and join other Kenyans in appreciating the root causes of national conflict.

“We are glad the play was finally staged,’ she said after watching the play. She denied that NCIC had any hand in the ban as had been earlier rumoured.
And the girls themselves were a proud lot. “I felt we brought it out well. I am happy we drove the point home,” said one of the actresses Mercy Mulama.