There was pomp, colour and display of talent during the Kenya Universities Performing Arts (KUPAA) national drama, radio, film, beauty pageant and visual arts festival that took place at Egerton University, Njoro from November 17 to 21.
The University of Nairobi and Mount Kenya University carried the day in the beauty and pageantry category. Joseph Mukunga of Mount Kenya University was crowned Mr Environment Universities Kenya 2024 while Newrone Fanaka from Maasai Mara University was picked by the team of adjudicators for the Miss Universities title.
The UoN’s Harmaton Sila grabbed the Mr Universities crown. Quinter Awino, who is also from the UoN, took the first runner-up’s slot with Titus Malilkhu of KCA shining in the male category.
The Mr Creativity Universities Kenya award went to Obiero Richard of Rongo University. Other winners were Miss Creativity Universities Kenya – Vannesa Hands (Cooperative University of Kenya), Mr Culture Universities Kenya – Wilson Joshua (Chuka University), Miss Culture Universities Kenya 2024 - Hellen John (Chuka) Mr Flex - Tharaka University and Miss Curvy Universities Kenya 2024 - Lydia Akinyi (Moi University).
In the historical plays category, the Technical University of Kenya presented The Untold Story of Gor Mahia, a script by Prof Omondi Oketch. The story begins in the stadium during a match between Kenyan football powerhouse Gor Mahia and their arch-rivals AFC Leopards, then the audience is taken through the legend of Gor Mahia — the powerful magician in the Luo community.
The play ends with the death of the legend, and the audience is taken back to the stadium. Kisii University presented a play titled The Heist which develops the narrative of how poor households are driven into crime to survive the throes of poverty. The play is directed by Dr George Nyandoroa.
Egerton's legislative play, Scars of Lari, which is scripted by Gabriel Kanya revolves around the trial of Waruhiu, a prisoner arrested after the Lari Massacre that took place on March 26, 1953 — the present day Kiambu County.
Egerton University performs a legislative play "Scars of Lari" scripted by Gabriel Kanja Wanjiku during the Kenya Universities Performing Arts National Drama, Radio, Film Beauty Pageant and Visual Arts Festival in Njoro.
Photo credit: Anthony Njagi | Nation Media Group
Waruhiu is sentenced to death by hanging alongside 75 other Mau Mau freedom fighters by colonial judge Justin. Waruhiu reveals the chilling truth behind the Lari Massacre, a dark spot in the history of colonisation, dispossession, and resistance in Kenya.
In his testimony, Waruhiu and other Mau Mau fighters take an oath to resist the British oppressors after the Kikuyu people are forcibly evicted from their ancestral lands in Kabuku and Tigoni in Kiambu, leading to an uprising.
As the courtroom proceedings continue, Waruhiu's testimony unveils the painful history that led to the massacre. The audience witnesses the complexities of justice, betrayal, and suffering.
The judge invokes the principle of alternative dispute resolution as his final verdict and asks for the full implementation of the Morris Carter Commission findings which defined the boundaries of the White Highlands for the exclusive use of White settlers and the native reserves for Africans.
The Technical University of Mombasa (TUM) play, Msimbo Msimbo, is the story of an unwanted, ruthless person. A family raises a son with difficulty with the hope that he may assist them in the future. They even sold illicit liquor to raise for his fees, only for him to rise to power; oppress and neglect them.
His family blames his wife whom they hate, until the day they discover that it was their own son who was putting them to such conditions. In a dramatised dance, TUM tells the story of a Mijikenda girl who joins a university despite her father's disapproval. The father her to get married. But against all odds, the girl studied medicine and later saved the father from a cardiac arrest.
Kenyatta University presented five plays, including their award-winning Mash Up, historical play, and a one-man play.
The plays were written and directed by Derrick Waswa who has been a constant presence in both the university's festival and commercial theatre scene.
The festival featured other exciting performances, including: shadow theatre, local language plays, solo poetry, choral poetry, cultural dance, modern dance, praise theatre, radio theatre, parody, comedy, film and documentaries.
TUM has been winning the Kiswahili plays genre for the last three years. They scooped almost all individual acting awards. The university won the best actress (Patience Mkazoya), best actor (Antony Mwaikwasi) and second runner-up best actress (Susan Mwende) awards.
Hans Peter was awarded the best male actor in a supporting role while Sofia Maina took the best female actress in a supporting role award. TUM also won the graffiti and spoken word categories.
The production is directed by Yusuf Dalu who was awarded among other awards the Nandwa Award of Theatre Excellence. Dalu is both a scientist and an artist in one package since he is a trained food scientist but with formal training for theatre arts.
