Scenes at Kenya music festival winners' State concert

Cheering and laughter were the order of the day at State House Nakuru on Wednesday morning.

State House Nakuru was hosting the Winners of the 95th Kenya Music Festival 2023.

President William Ruto who was gracing the event was accompanied by his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, Host Governor Susa Kihika, Cabinet Secretaries Ezekiel Machogu (Education) and Ababu Namwamba( Sports) among other leaders.

From 10 am, the Presidency and other leaders sat as they watched performances from the National Music Festival winners.

At least 600 classes were showcased during the 95th school music festival.

Naivasha’s own Little Friends Academy was the star of this year’s event after scooping trophies in various categories.

Other winners include Moi Girls Nairobi Secondary School which emerged top in the brand new category Zilizovuma with adaptation and arrangement of Sauti Soul number.

In the Rest of Africa category of the African Traditional dances class, Apostolic Carmel Girls from Buruburu won after performing a Buganda Cultural Dance performed to entertain the King Kabaka at the Palace.

They also won in the Oriental dance class after performing a Bhangra dance from North India which is usually performed near the temple or the village square.

Pangani Girls won in the Arabic Choral verse class as well as picking accolades in the German Choral verse.

Benmore Girls won in a set piece Homework Stew while Sacho High School emerged winners in the violin class.

Mbale High School won in highly contested Zilizopendwa from the Rest of Africa's secular class.

Kasimbiji Primary won the Mijikenda folk dance class while Vaishna Penumucho and Harshini Pabbaraju from Ravirona Natya Nike tan School won decisively in the respective Indian Classical Indian solo dances.

Karanda Primary School gracefully picked the gold after impressing with a Dodo dance performed by young women.