Dagoretti High School expelled from Drama Festival over misconduct

Students from Dagoretti High School perform their creative dance Mupango, they will never know their results after they were disqualified from the competition for gross misconduct. [PHOTO: GEORGE ORIDO/STANDARD]

By GEORGE ORIDO

NYERI, KENYA: Dagoretti High School will never know how they performed in the ongoing Kenya National Schools and Colleges Drama festival after they were expelled and whisked back home for gross misconduct.

According the festival chairman Chokera Kahora, the boys from Nairobi had performed a dance and later in one of the villages where they are hosted, they lit a bonfire right inside the dormitory.

In song and dance they added paper, leaves and firewood engulfing the entire dorm at Kagumo High School in heavy smoke and nearly setting the facility on fire.

The festival is a drug-free and alcohol-free zone, and it was not clear what motivated the boys into such action.

The boys explained that their's was just a bonfire and when they were asked to put off the fire they stayed put.

"We have banned Dagoretti High for two years before they can be allowed to participate again," said Mr Chokera.

There was drama when the boys were bundled into the next bus home, as they looked shocked with the decision.

Officials exonerated their teachers saying the event took place in the wee hours of the night well after the teachers had retired to bed.

"In spite of the fact that the students had a good performance, discipline was key. We cannot compromise on discipline," he emphasized.

Ironically, the school hard previously performed a cultural creative dance Mupango, that depicts at how stereotyping leads to negative and wrong perception about people.

The dance is choreographed by Hudson Wafula, Carlos Otondi and Terry Kibete.

The festival ends its competitive stage Sunday and will change into the Gala gear where the very best will be showcased.

It comes to a close on Tuesday in a ceremony to be presided over by the Education Principal Secretary.