University students shine at East Africa Music and drama festival in Uganda

Mount Kenya University students recite a choral verse during the Kenya Music Festival on August 7, 2025. Mount Kenya University (MKU) drama students once again curved a niche at the East Africa Music, Dance and Drama (MDD) Festival held in Kampala, Uganda. The university is making its second appearance after sweeping awards at home, the first being in 2023. The week-long cultural extravaganza, that began on August 18 to 24, 2025 at Kings College Buddo, Buddo Senior School, and Trinity College Nabbingo, brought together top institutions from across the region. MKU students staged a variety of performances, including solo dance, stand-up comedy, solo verse, spoken word, mime, narrative, and live broadcast. Their appearances came just months after the university was crowned the Best Overall University and Most Prolific Institution at the 2025 Kenya National Drama Festival. For many of the performers, the festival was a chance to showcase talent on a regional stage. "This is the epicentre of creative arts. The festival gives us the true East African vibe. We are able to learn from the region's best institutions, and the dances we have witnessed here have been some of the finest we've ever seen," said Henry Jomo, MKU drama group leader. Jomo, attending the MDD festival for a second year running last year as a high school student at Fesbeth Academy and now representing MKU described the experience as "a dream come true." MKU's Sports, Film, and Creative Arts Coordinator, William Luta, lauded both the quality of the performances and Uganda's hospitality. "The organization has been top notch, much improved from last year. This is the growth we want in creative arts and cultural performance. I have seen viable presentations deeply rooted in cultural heritage. For our thespians, this exposure is invaluable. As a university, we remain committed to nurturing their talents and giving them opportunities to excel," he said. MKU's participation came fresh from their commanding show at the 97th edition of the Kenya National Music Festival earlier this month, hosted in Meru under the theme "Enhancing the Creative Economy through Artistic Expression for Sustainable Development." At that event, MKU secured 17 first-place wins, 10 second-place finishes, and 8 third-place positions, finishing second overall nationally. "I am proud of these young souls. What makes me happiest is that our performances are entirely by current and active students. We groom them from scratch and watch them grow into excellent artists. That satisfaction is unmatched," said Luta. MKU's wins in instrumentation ranging from African wind and solo drums to western ensembles stood out, alongside the university choir's prize-winning sponsored song on safe data use, supported by the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. The Meru folk song and cultural dance categories also earned the university top honors. But perhaps the most talked-about was MKU's choral verse, which boldly tackled what it termed a "moral crisis" in schools and universities, highlighting issues of immorality and urging urgent action. MKU's University Students Welfare Principal, Peter Waweru, credited the institution's consistent investment in talent development. "Our students and staff receive full support from the university, and we will continue to expand this backing so they have everything they need from instruments to training to compete at the highest level," he said. The Kenyan contingent was well represented across music and drama categories. Alliance High School, Friends School Senende, Ngenia High, Sosit Girls, Muthetheni Girls, and Alupe University showcased music pieces, while Alliance Girls, Moi Girls Isinya, Sega Girls, Ramba High School, and Fesbeth Academy carried the drama flag high.

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