It's back! After a Covid induced hiatus, the 61st National Drama and Film Festival is on in Mombasa with more than two million kids from schools across Kenya expected to participate in the ten-day event. The festival, which is organized by an executive committee appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, is a talent-based co-curricular activity that gathers students from schools nationwide.
This year's festival, sponsored by the Communications Authority of Kenya, is themed "Fostering Digital Transformation through Theatre and Film: Promoting Online Safety" and will be hosted at Shimo La Tewa Secondary School, Shanzu Teachers College, and Sheikh Khalifa High School.
The festival is Africa's largest educational theatre event and features a wide range of performances, including traditional plays, cultural and modern dances, stand-up comedy, mime, and film. It often presents productions that address pressing social, political, and economic issues in the country.
Winning teams from Nairobi schools already gathered at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development over the weekend to prepare for the event. The performances include Starehe Boys Centre's solo verse 'The Tick,' State House Girls' choral verse 'Misukosuko,' and Highway School's French play 'Quel Cauchemar.'
The audience will be eagerly waiting to see if western Kenya's drama giants, including Butere Girls, Kamusinga, Bungoma High, St Paul's Shikunga, and St Paul's Erusui maintain their dominance through plays, creative cultural dances, narratives, and solo verses.

*Featured Image: Seven Forks Primary School pupils present a choral verse during Eastern Region Drama Festival at Kaaga Girls High school on March 17.PHOTO | ANTHONY NJAGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP