Kenyans patriotism questioned as students highlight terrorism in music fete

Moi High School Kabarak students perform an English set piece conducted by Dorothy Zalo at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa during the Kenya Music Festival. [PHOTO: GEORGE ORIDO/STANDARD]

MOMBASA COUNTY: Kenyans must get out of their cocoons and name terrorists living among them or face the consequences of perennial fear, blood-letting and death that has led to orphans, widows and widowers, this was the message issued by young people participating in the Kenya Music Festival in Mombasa.

In addition, corrupt police officers and immigration officials who pick bribes to allow outsiders to come in through leaky borders were not spared by the talented Kenyans.

Throwing the first salvo was Erusui Girls in their winning piece, Who Hides Them?

"Is it true that we have become so unpatriotic that we know we dine with and hide the criminals who terrorise us?" the girls asked.

They continued to question why with a few blood-stained coins, one would allow the merciless terrorist to continue with their business.

In the piece, Stirred Dreams by Peter Thuo, Loreto Kiambu stirred the to awake the old good days when the air was serene, priding in princely peace as life bubbled beneath the treetops before the studded but sustained bomb attacks on the motherland.

"Mpeketoni was such a horrid experience, I do not want to talk about it," declared Pangani Girls High School in their piece.

They were emphatic that the Government must put its house in order, asking where the intelligence has been as merchants of terror maimed and killed almost at will.

"Then at Likoni Church, Baby Satrine was shot in the head," they say.

And just when the audience thought it had heard and seen it all and Mayori Girls from Nothern region put the matter in context when they said: "A police car wails for breakfast, fire brigade wails for Lunch, Red Cross wails for dinner as ambulance wails for supper".

Scripted by Clifford Ouma, he of the Otonglo Time fame, The Burdens depicts a community under siege by terrorists.

"The fight to unburden this burden lies with you and I. For in this era, we need a mirror devoid of error," goes a line in The Burden as recited by Loreto Girls Msongari.

In the end, the students sought for synergy involving police, intelligence and the community in general.

Other schools that performed in this class include Dry's Girls Nakuru and Nakuru Girls High School.

In another class, Moi High School Kabarak displayed their prowess in the set piece, Five Flower Songs by Boosey and Hawkes. The school also managed the second positions in the girl's set piece.