By Fridah Mbuvi & Dorish Moraa, July 5 2026
The 2026 Kenya Music Festivals for Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary schools in the Coast Region concluded in spectacular fashion at Shimo la Tewa Boys High School in Mombasa, with outstanding performances earning several schools coveted slots at the National Music Festivals scheduled to be held at Kibabii University in Bungoma County.
The week-long competition brought together learners from across the six Coast counties, providing a platform for young performers to showcase their creativity, artistic excellence and cultural diversity through music, dance, choral verse, dramatized performances and other creative arts disciplines.
Education stakeholders hailed the festivals as an important avenue for nurturing talent, building learners’ confidence and promoting holistic education in line with the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Among the standout performers in the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) category were Shinning Angels ECDE, Mwakingali ECDE and Taveta Special School, which jointly secured second place in the choral verse category. Their impressive performances earned them qualification to represent the Coast Region at the national championships in Bungoma.
At the secondary school level, Mwakirunge Girls Secondary School emerged as one of the region’s biggest success stories after clinching first position in its category. The victory earned the school a place at the National Music Festivals, with the school community attributing the achievement to teamwork, discipline and unwavering support from the administration.
The school praised its principal for providing the necessary support throughout the preparations and acknowledged the efforts of team leaders Diana, Milder and Kelvin, whose guidance helped steer the students to regional glory.
Lamu Girls Secondary School also celebrated a successful outing after delivering impressive performances that secured qualification for the national stage. The school commended its students for their dedication, teamwork and passion for the performing arts, while thanking the principal, school administration, teachers, trainers, parents and supporters for their continued encouragement.
The school has now shifted its focus to the national competition, expressing confidence that its students will continue flying the Coast Region flag high in Bungoma.
Mwereni Secondary School from Lunga Lunga Constituency also booked its place at the National Music Festivals after emerging victorious during the regional competitions. School leaders praised the commitment of teachers and trainer Paul Ching’ang’i for mentoring the learners and helping them excel in the highly competitive festival.
The regional festivals also attracted senior education officials, led by Coast Regional Director of Education Anne Kiilu, Kenya Music Festivals National Chairman Prof. Ngala and Coast Regional Quality Assurance and Standards Officer Harrison Indimuli, who graced the event and lauded learners and teachers for promoting excellence in the creative arts.
In a significant gesture of support for music education, Coast Chorus Music Academy donated seven trophies to the Coast Regional Music Festival. The trophies were officially presented to Coast Regional Director of Education Anne Kiilu during the event as part of efforts to motivate learners and recognize excellence in musical performance.
Throughout the festival, adjudicators evaluated performances across various categories, applauding the high standards displayed by schools from across the region. They encouraged learners and teachers to continue embracing music and the performing arts as powerful tools for education, cultural preservation and personal development.
With the regional competitions now concluded, attention shifts to Bungoma County, where Coast Region’s finest performers will compete against winners from across the country at the National Kenya Music Festivals in pursuit of national honours.
