Children play, dance joyfully at the start of national music festivals

 

Physically challenged pupils of Joy town Special primary school from Central performing during the 91st Kenya Music festival held at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kakamega on July 10, 2017. BY BENJAMIN SAKWA

The opening day of the 91st edition of the annual Kenya Music Festival got off to a delightful start as kindergarten children took to the stage to share their reflections on life.

In the Singing Game category, the children sang, danced and played - jumping ropes and driving toy cars - as they shared their career dreams.

While some want to be doctors, others want to be teachers and drivers. These and many more careers were played out on stage in colourful presentations that reflected pure innocence.

One child was outstanding not for his over-zealous activity or energy but for being so true about not being part of the group that he ended up being a great source of humour.

It is not clear whether the teachers of Esumba Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) in Webuye, Bungoma County, had deliberately instructed the one performer to be "different" to project the true spirit of childhood.

If it was deliberate, then it was ingeniously rendered. And if it was of the child’s own making, no stress, he just was being real.

Other chidren in the Singing Game, Western style category, included Mariakani School, Sony Sugar, Lepic School and Little Rock.

Choral verse

Pupils of Crossroads Academy, directed by Nicole Atieno, were outstanding in their choral verse titled 'I Love It' written by Eddah Kamau.

The persona was full praise for the nutritional value of Narisha porridge, which brings with it energy and vitality from which she plays and studies with enjoyment.

“I love my red bowl but I love it most when it’s full of Narisha porridge. Narisha keeps us strong, we jump up and down,” went part of the verse in an attempt to encourage children to play more and learn better.

Children from St Joseph’s ECDC were in their element while presenting a choral verses titled 'Meno Yetu', depicting the natural progression from milk teeth to permanent ones. The persona stated how painful it is for the teeth to come out but had hopes of new ones growing in their place.

Defending national champions High Peak Junior School presented 'The Spider' by Evans Mwavali, depicting the cruelty of terrorists targeting children in church.

The poems poses questions: “Mama, how, why? Who are the spiders? What do they want? Don’t they fear God?”

From Mombasa County, Nyali School presented a verse titled 'We Want to Play' by ES Malika and Bill Jones, highlighting the need to empower both boys and girls.

And Makongo Primary School from Murang’a County colourfully presented 'Now I Know' about a child who is grateful to her parents for not only raising her but also taking her to school.

Also performing were Makini School from Nairobi, Githunguri Bridgeways, Living Streams, DEB Kangaru, Makini Kisumu, Tala SA Primary, Rangala Girls, Kaimosi Friends and Booker Academy among others.

The festival, which will run until July 22, will have more than 150,000 participants from kindergarten, primary, secondary, college and university levels.

Kibera School for Girls from Nairobi performed a sign language piece during the festival held at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kakamega County.