Maseno Girls defy news of dormitory inferno to grab top position in music festivals

Bondeni Primary School from Kericho present a traditional dance. [Photo: Boniface Thuku/Standard]

By George Orido

Kenya: Maseno Girls Boarding School braved distractions occasioned by the loss of their dormitory that went up in flames last Friday and emerged tops in the own composition category.

This was a rendition of Edward Ouko’s song Nchi Yetu Yapendeza.

The girls impressed with their unity in voice and pure serenading melodies as they danced gracefully to a song that was full of patriotism and nationalism.

The song depicts the country Kenya blessed with natural resources and asks her citizenry to explore it sparingly for the benefit of future generations.

Maseno Boarding head girl and soloist Angela Nabwire led her colleagues in celebrations and shared that they prayed after news came in that everything they had been destroyed.

And as a result, they also took second position in the set piece category. Lulu Adasa from the same school thrilled with her solo verse, the Vulnerables.

Harvesting season

Tenwek Primary School from Nandi beat a dozen other teams in the African folk dance for Nandi, Kipsigis, Turgen, Sabaot and related communities. Their song Tapkigen (Anticipated) is sang by women during planting as well as harvesting season and is rendered with pride.

Clad in colourful traditional attire, the girls sang Irur bek korok, Konon kenut atui, Konon isyet ang’a kesen lakwet kebe (thresh the millet first, give me a pestle I crush them and give me a grinding stone, hold your baby we move).

Choreographed by Joyce Bii and led by distinguished soloist Faith Chepkemei, the dance applies the use of sticks to symbolise solidarity and sense of belonging. Toroso S A Primary School from Cheptais District in Bungoma County put a good show with their Sabaot folk dance on peace building.

Titled Chemieet, the group is led by an agile and highly gifted 10-year-old soloist Mercy Temko who has taken it from her grandfather Enos Kiberenge, a renowned traditional musician from their village.

And the boys from Borstol School situated at the Shimo la Tewa Prisons did not disappoint when they presented their song Sitaki Urafiki Wako. The song depicts the lives of young boys whose lives have taken a turn for better after they accept to change their criminal ways.

What makes the music particularly persuasive is that it is sung by those in a correctional facility. And matters criminal were at the heart of the festival Tuesday when Purity Wachira from Hospital Hill Nairobi presented a moving verse dubbed Why Mother.

The persona in this poem is the unborn – a victim of abortion by the mother. “Did you make me to break me when I did not write an application letter to be born,” asks the verse in part.