01/07/2025
How a skit treated as a reject in a formal festival won the Meru County NGAAF 2025.
Allow me transit from a one who took part in the so skit and switch to give the narrative from a writer's aspect.
In 2023, We got an invite to present as curtain raisers in Kirua technical cultural day, A friend of ours had landed a judge role in the day's event and gave us a smart through pass.
Just one day to the event, we teamed up for rehearsals, the very first bit was to reason and bring something up to present as we wait for the late comers the such of Sultan, .but then something happened.
Rain drops that turned into heavy showers, our grounds were open and couldn't offer a good shelter so sisi hao Helter skelter kutafuta shade, luckily enough we found an abandoned shop that had a stretched roof from the front.
We settled there like the bantus who just arrived in Mt Kenya region from Congo, at that point there was just two problems, one the heavy showers and the yet not arrived sultan.
What could we do when all we felt was cold and sharp throws in our ears of the heavy showers, one problem was eliminated when sultan arrived after getting lost in the rains, he had no difference with a hen that has been rained on.
We bearly heard each other, you had to call someone twice or more before he or she could hear you, so that tells you there was nothing much we could have done for our rehearsals.
Five o'clock in the evening, rains still on and each and every soul silent but the sole creator and writer was in deep thoughts his mind was heavily on what do we cook to serve tomorrow.
Linda, was already giving up and talking about how much she hate mud , was she mad? did she think the rest were enjoying the cold I wondered.
Bonnie was already regretting why he didn't use that pleasure of time on his dear Jaba, But I was on my eleventh hour mode, when 30 minutes past the hour ticked, an idea knocked the doors of my heavy thinking sphere.
I recalled a campus cultural day, working on a skit that happened to also top in drama category, with the theme of fostering unity and addressing tribalism.
In that particular play, we resulted to present it in a mute manner, a scenario where actors present a couple of actions that run from one scene to the other without having to talk.
We opted for this for various reasons one due to the nature of event it was definitely clear people would flock and we didn't want to experience audibility problems.
then just in that thought, I went back to the rainy situation if I only give few instructions the group would be able to run a rehearsal session without having to worry of what the other colleague said.
We opted to go simple "You were there" A short skit that the lead character is under pressure and attack from an enemy before finding rescue.
To cut it short, we planned and prepared and the following day landed in Kirua, the weather was okey until the MC mentioned Inote Drama club, drizzles began..kumbe mvua iliiamua pia ilikuwa rehearsals why are we leaving it behind during presentation, let me tell you Maina we presented the whole skit with the new uninvited performer, the rain.
We left the stage, and the same rain clapped as the drops landed on the empty cabros and then the crowd cheered, the rest of the event went on very well, then later we boarded a pickup back home feeling could and afraid that we would be turned a meal for the wild animals along Nkunga.
Every bit sitting on the back of the pickup was full of mixed reaction, yes we showned up and yes they cheered up but no coin no congratulations but atleast there was food, so what next?
What next was 2025 June, when we were informed about Komesha mihadarati Meru county NGAAF kuza talanta.
Bonnie the jaba friend jokingly brought the idea of trying a drama, I went back into my archives and brought back the dead skit "You were there" and whispered to it, we need You tomorrow so you got to be there, we called a few friends and rehearsed, this time no rain, probably the mister was also tired about the idea of acting without pay.
The day finally came, and the first thing that robbed our hope of winning? was seeing Wycliffe Muthomi as the Day's Judge, don't mastake he's not bad but he's not a joke either expecially having him on judge's panel, you are only sure of one thing, that you need to put in efforts.
The other thing that crushed our hope entirely was the idea of merging comedy and drama in one category, how were we supposed to compete with comedians with a skit? so we asked.
Amidst our fears and doubts, we presented anyway and sat satisfied in our chairs to cheer others, when the hour came the winners were announced.
Drama Category number three was announced, let me tell you how I admired that guy and whispered to Bonnie who sat next to me, yaani huyu jamaa amepeleka elfu tano home, They proceeded to mention number two, by now I was damn in another mode of acceptance, hii si yetu.
I never got tired of clapping and as he proceeded to mention number one I was ready to clap again for another lucky champ, but heavens opened this time not for rain purposes but blessings, number one was the young team made of not yet known champs, Inote Drama.
We made a high note, and we went out to note the little gotten achievement.
