Kenyan National Music Festival gets funding

The sponsorship is worth 7 million Kenyan shillings ($68 000) and was announced on 3 August.

The 2Jiajiri category was introduced this year and is named after the KCB Foundation's programme that seeks to create jobs for young Kenyans through skills development in the informal sector.

"More than 51 entries under the 2Jiajiri category have qualified for the nationals and will perform at the respective slotted times," the festival's executive secretary, Ruth Agesa, said. "These entries make great educational material in enlightening the youth and general public about alternative ways to create job opportunities and earn a living."

KCB Foundation managing director Jane Mwangi said: "We aim to influence culture at the nascent age all through to adulthood by inculcating the spirit of entrepreneurship through songs, poems and drama.

"We are resetting the mindsets of our youth. We look forward to seeing how the various institutions of learning have packaged the ideas around encouraging the development of youthful entrepreneurs in the informal sector to ease the country's unemployment crisis."

The annual festival began on 3 August at Kabarak University in Nakuru County and will end on 15 August. The theme for this year's festival is Enhancing National Unity, Cohesion and Integration through Kenya Music Festival.

More than 150 000 participants from primary, secondary and tertiary levels across Kenya will showcase various art forms such as music, poetry, dance and drama. The winning performers will get to present their work to President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi.

The 93rd edition of Kenya National Music Festival is also sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the Nakuru county government and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). UNICEF has supported songs on the campaign against all forms of violence against children.