DRUG ABUSE TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT FETE

The fight against drug abuse took centre stage at the national music
festival in Nairobi yesterday.

Fifteen secondary schools battled it out for top honours in the
special choral verse category.

Central Province's Muguru Secondary masterfully employed a dramatic
presentation in The Ravaging Scavengers. The captivating piece
educated students on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse among them.

Students, a well-scripted verse by John Muchwe that urges adults to be
role models in the fight against substance abuse, was also well received.

Muguru's winning cast included Faith Njeru, Catherine Kahoro, Hellen
Githinji, Rosa Maina, Purity Kiromo, Mary Muthoni and Dorcas Mwangi.

The presenters were not only coherent, but confident and with a good
mastery of the English language.

Muguru, a small rural school from Kangema, also walked away with a
verse, Eloquence of Silence, on reproductive health.

The item, which condemns abortion, echoes the outrage among Kenyans
over the recent dumping of 15 foetuses on Mombasa Road, Nairobi.

Mathaithi came second in the reproductive health category, while
Huruma Girls and Keveye tied in the third position.

In the drug abuse category, Metkei School from Rift Valley were
second, followed by Keveye Girls High School from Western Province.

Meanwhile, Utumishi Academy from the Rift Valley was yesterday
disqualified from the festival after five of its students were
allegedly found with alcohol. The five students had been arrested by
police, but released after top education officials intervened.

Ironically, the school was yesterday set to perform a special
composition on the campaign against drug abuse.

Today's programmes at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre
starts with solo recitals in African languages.