By George Orido
MOMBASA, KENYA: Kakamega High School came through as the indomitable kings of drama with a resounding win in play and dance.
When it was announced that Bushi the dance by Kakamega High School had beaten Karima Girls’ Thayu and Kenya High’s Signecha, the talking drums of Isikuti started renting the air.
But when it was apparent The Tempest produced by legendary Oliver Minishi was top ahead of Menengai High School’s The Docker and Riara Springs’ Delta of Turmoil, it was all systems go as music and dance took over the now moonlit environs of Aga Khan High School, Mombasa.
Thorny issues
The Tempest addresses thorny land issues in Kenya and takes an audit of lives lost and the reluctance by landowners and the Government to get a lasting solution to it.
Co-directed by Patrick Odhiambo, John Mitivi and Minishi, the cast of Edison Masinde, Kihiko Francis, Kevin Kiromo and Jonathan Rao impressed audience with their ability to improvise and naturally execute the text bringing it to life.
Kakamega’s Bushi depicts an exploitative scenario precipitated by an authoritarian government regime capitalising on an oil find. Unlike other oil discoveries that come with years of prospecting, the Bushi community’s find is accidental since theirs was a search for water through borehole sinking but bump into oil instead.
There is a striking thematic similarity with Butere Girls’ play Shackles of Doom.
But one of the deafening cheers came through the audience when the adjudicator Dr Ochieng’ Ong’ondo of Moi University announced that the controversial Butere Girls’ play Shackles of Doom by Cleophas Malalah had actually produced best actress Sandra Simani (Kimani) and most promising artist Anisa Mango (Wamaitha) in runner-up positions.
Shot in Kanas
The controversial Shackles of Doom depicts a film shot in the land of the Kanas. These are people with rich cultural heritage spanning years into pre-history who refer to themselves as the True Kanas. For lack of technological know-how they are oblivious of the riches beneath their land in form of large oil deposits. But this treasure is top secret only known to a neighbouring community that brings in a top delegation as they offer a beautiful bride – Wamaitha — to be married off to Lopush who is a Kana in exchange of land where they settle. Things turn sour when the discovery of oil brews a stormy tribal contest where one tribe is favoured in positions in the newly created Mafuta Oil Company.
A solution is reached to allow equal distribution of both top and low cadre positions among the communities.
Produced by Dorah Okalla, Shackles of Doom was easily the toast of the festival this year. Sironga Girls’ with their narrative Jamriambo proved too good for Friends School Kamusinga’s Selu Selu and Kijabe Boys’ Anita.
