Mount Kenya University (MKU) has secured a remarkable hat-trick, emerging as the best university overall and most prolific university for the third consecutive year as the Kenya National Drama Festivals 2026 drew to a close in Nyeri County.
The institution emerged victorious in nearly every major competitive segment, collecting multiple trophies, national titles, and adjudicators’ honours. It dominated across theatre, film, spoken word, dance, comedy, and verse categories—underscoring its sustained excellence and the depth of talent within its creative arts programmes.
‘‘The historic achievement cements the university’s reputation as a powerhouse of creativity, consistency and excellence on the national stage, having maintained the top position in 2024, 2025 and now 2026,’’ says William Luta, Coordinator of Sports, Film, and Creative Arts at MKU.
Speaking at the event, Luta praised the team’s achievements. “This is a hat-trick—we have emerged the best university overall for three consecutive years: 2024, 2025, and now 2026. Reaching this level has been a result of combined effort. The students’ resilience pushed them beyond their limits, while trainers applied every skill possible to ensure thorough preparation,’’ he said.
Mr Luta said the university showcased dominance by winning top honours in the cultural creative dance, solo verse, stand-up comedy and spoken word (Kiswahili edition). In addition, MKU teams delivered strong performances, finishing second place in play, spoken word (English), duet dance, narrative and modern dance.
The university also shone in film and documentary categories, demonstrating strength in digital storytelling and screen production: In film category, MKU came second in screen verse and third position in feature films.
Under the sponsored documentary (Equity Bank), the college took position three, earning a Sh30,000 award in addition to the Sh100,000 for the top Equity Bank sponsored play. Individual students from MKU also won top performers awards in several different categories.
“I extend my appreciation to the university management for their immense support, ensuring that all necessary resources were available to perfect our productions. As a university, we remain committed to nurturing and exposing young talent to the world. This journey does not end here—it only gets better,’’ added the coordinator. Mr Luta plays a key role in coordinating sports teams and performing arts. He is recognized for supporting student talents, managing team logistics, and promoting MKU’s participation in national and East African drama and sports.
Other universities that excelled at the festival include Kenyatta University, with best play; University of Nairobi, best narrative; Cooperative University of Kenya, best mime and Kibabii University with the best modern dance.
The 64th Edition of Kenya National Drama and Film Festivals was hosted at Kagumo Teachers Training College, Nyeri National Polytechnic, and Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, under the theme “Bold Storytellers’ Digital Stages: Driving Kenya’s Development through Theatre and Film.”
Multiple MKU productions earned the prestigious honour of being showcased at the 2026 Gala in front of the President, top government and ministry of education officials. These are spoken word (both English and Kiswahili versions), cultural dance and the solo verse.
Mr Luta said MKU’s continued dominance reinforces its status as a powerhouse in performing and cinematic arts. The comprehensive wins reflect the university’s commitment to nurturing talent, creativity, and innovation—qualities that have repeatedly propelled its students to national acclaim.
Speaking after the announcement, university representatives praised the unwavering dedication of students, trainers, directors, and the MKU community whose collective effort produced the outstanding results.
Vihiga County Government had sponsored five teams to participate in the competition. Among the standout performers from the county, Ebussamba ECDE emerged as runners-up in the documentary category with their production “A Safe Place”, while Emutsuru ECDE also impressed audiences with a choral verse presentation titled “Mswaki”.
This year’s edition has embraced technological advancement, with increased integration of digital tools and artificial intelligence in storytelling, reflecting the evolving landscape of Kenya’s creative industry. Over the years, plays and drama festivals have been used to explore the complex relationship between politics and power, reflecting how societies navigate the tensions of unchecked ambition.
Adjudicators praised teachers for nurturing young performers, while emphasizing the importance of age-appropriate content and safe, simple staging to build learners’ confidence. Overcoming Faith School from Bunyore, Western Kenya, emerged as one of the biggest winners at the fete. The school delivered a commanding performance in the pre-school categories, winning the overall Singing Games title with My Savings. It also scooped awards for Best Costume and Décor, Most Creative Dance, and Best Choreography.
Trainers were also recognized by sponsors, receiving cash awards across the top three positions. Equity Bank Head of Education, Peter Ndoro, said the initiative aims to promote financial skills and ambition among learners, positioning them as future drivers of economic growth.
Many entries also aligned with Competency-Based Education (CBE) by emphasizing communication, creativity, and problem-solving, while integrating technology into everyday life. This demonstrated how young learners are interpreting national development priorities through performance.
