Nairobi University takes on stage as the annual drama festival kicked off in Western.Photos/John Kabaka

Issues touching on parenting and morality dominated this year's theme of "Enhancing national cohesion and Integration" during the first day of presentation at this year’s annual schools’ and colleges’ drama festival.

Script writer Sammy Hoka temporary suspended the mid day stomach qualms with his thriller “The Confession”, a drama masterpiece from Mt. Kenya University, Eldoret Campus, a play highlighting unchecked power.

In this presentation, the lead cast is a family man, who also wielded immense political power but used the same to reign over his subjects and immediate family.

One of the saddest moments of his times was when he apparently murdered his son for challenging his choice career choice and insistence that abortion be conducted to remove an infidel from his expectant daughter.

Hoka’s play followed yet another of his artwork, a narrative titled fishing, a ten-minute depiction of a social misfit with an insatiable appetite for the opposite sex but whose sexual exploits are brought to halt through a violent encounter with an equally preying crocodile.

The first day of the weeklong drama fiesta also saw local lads from Masinde Muliro university of Science and Technology (MMUST) entertain guests with an exhilarating Swahili choral verse “Panda Shuka”, a reflective mirror of a typical Kenyan situation, pitting squatters in the informal settlements and government; the landless and the haves in the society.

The presentation revealed a broadside of the problems associated with setting up of unplanned structures on reserved public land, the clashes between the land lords backed by police and the squatters during such evictions and demolitions.

 The festival rolled out the two chosen venues of Kakamega High School and Mukumu Girls High school Tuesday and is being sponsored by Mumias sugar Company (MSC) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) which has pledged to reward winning presentation of National Cohesion and Integration Commission theme.

A third venue for a film festival is due to open at Kakamega high later Thursday. This year, the organizing committee allowed the University of Nairobi, which was not listed as a participant in the festival present three items; a solo verse, a choral verse and a play to encourage performance arts at the institution.

The Western Provincial commissioner Samuel Kilele conducted the official opening at Mukumu girls High school. At Kakamega High school teams have to do with an incomplete arena and wet paints as work to prepare the hall for a bumper art fiesta ran out before the contractor was done.

Workers spend the better half of Easter Monday night clearing the debris and painting sections of the hall after it became evident that the venue would after all not be ready by day break.

The hall also used as a assembly hall by students and rented out for use to organisations needing in door facilities has been in a state of neglect over the years especially after hosting the last national drama event seven years ago and the school administration seized the chance to give the facility a facelift.