Ruto hosts Kenya’s top young performers as Music Festival reaches State Concert

President William Ruto has hosted the 98th Kenya Music Festival State Concert in Bungoma, bringing the country’s young performers to the State Lodge for the final showcase of weeks of competition.

Ruto was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki as students from different parts of Kenya took to the stage on Friday.

But beyond the performances, this year’s festival is being positioned as part of a wider push to give young Kenyans a place in the country’s growing creative economy.

The national festival was held at Kibabii University in Bungoma, with the State Concert providing the final platform for some of the standout performances. Kenya Broadcasting Corporation reported that the 2026 edition attracted about 143,000 learners.

From school competitions to the creative economy

The festival was held under the theme “Enhancing the Creative Economy Through Knowledge, Skills and Artistic Production for Sustainable Development.”

That theme reflects a shift in how school arts are increasingly being viewed.

Music and performance are no longer being presented only as co-curricular activities. The government has been seeking to connect artistic skills with possible careers in music, film, theatre, digital content and other parts of the creative sector.

Earlier in the year, the Ministry of Education said professional artists were being brought into the festival programme to mentor learners and expose them to practical opportunities in the creative industry.

The festival also featured music, dance, drama, spoken word, choral performances and cultural presentations.

For many learners, the stage therefore offered more than a chance to win a trophy. It provided an opportunity to perform before audiences beyond their schools and to build confidence and experience.

Bungoma takes centre stage

Kibabii University hosted the national festival after preparations that included arrangements for accommodation, transport, security, healthcare and performance venues.

The university had earlier said the event was expected to bring together participants from early childhood centres, primary and secondary schools, teacher training colleges and universities.

The festival also brought an economic dimension to Bungoma.

A large influx of learners, teachers and officials meant increased demand for accommodation, food, transport and other services in the county.

The event also gave Bungoma an opportunity to showcase itself as a destination for large national cultural and educational events.

Students put Kenya's issues on stage

The festival has increasingly become a space where learners tackle issues that go beyond music.

Performances during this year's regional competitions addressed subjects including drug and alcohol abuse, femicide, environmental conservation, peace, financial literacy and youth empowerment.

That gives the performances another role: using art to start conversations about issues affecting young people and wider society.

The Communications Authority of Kenya also supported the 98th festival, with digital safety and responsible use of the internet among issues promoted during preparations for the event.

A platform for talent — and opportunity

The State Concert brought together government officials, educators and learners as the national competition reached its climax.

Among those present were Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and other government officials. Images from the event also showed Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi attending the concert.

For the students, however, the biggest moment was on stage.

Some performed before the President. Others had the unusual opportunity to interact directly with the country's top leadership, including through student-led interviews with President Ruto and the First Lady.

The challenge now is what happens after the applause.

A national festival can identify talent, but turning that talent into sustainable careers requires training, mentorship, access to equipment, professional networks and viable markets.

That is the wider question facing Kenya as it seeks to grow its creative economy: how to ensure that talented children who take the stage today can find a pathway into meaningful creative work tomorrow.

About the Author

Maureen Onyango is a journalist passionate about storytelling, life coaching and spiritual lessons. She studied at the Kenya Institute of Management and enjoys telling stories that inform, inspire and empower communities.