Governor Sakaja spent close to Sh10 million awarding choirs
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja recently made headlines after spending Sh7.3 million of his own money to award participants in the Battle of the Choir-Easter Festival.
The governor now plans to make the competition an annual event to celebrate the talents and Easter while keeping Jesus at the top of the agenda.
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According to Sakaja, “Many times I have told my team at Nairobi county that for us we are going to unashamedly keep Jesus at the top of our agenda. Now every Easter we will be doing this (Battle of The choir) to celebrate the talents we have and Easter. This year the money came from my pocket but the next edition should come from the county government budget.”
The inaugural Battle of the Choir-Easter Festival was held last Monday at the KICC, and Cathedral Youth from Stephen Church Jogoo Road emerged as the winners, taking home Sh2 million.
PCEA Kahawa Farmers Choir placed second, walking away with Sh1 million, while second runners-up St. Peter’s Claver Parish Choir received Sh500,000.
The competition received 90 entries from different choirs that submitted short presentation videos. The entries were then vetted by a technical team led by music trainers, choral conductors, and directors Daniel Madalanga, Peter Koigi, and Nicholas Omondi for quality and professionalism.
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After the vetting process, the number of entries was whittled down to 38 choirs, which entered the semifinals. The 38 choirs presented their pieces before a panel of adjudicators on Easter Sunday, further reducing the number to 15 finalists who all performed before a public gathering at the KICC with the ultimate crowning of the winner.
Ahead of the Monday coronation, Sakaja gifted each of the 38 choirs that performed the day before Sh100,000, terming it a token of appreciation.
With the success of the inaugural competition, Sakaja’s decision to make it an annual event is a promising development for the music industry and fans of choral music in Nairobi. The competition not only celebrates the talents of local choirs but also promotes the city’s cultural diversity.
The Battle of the Choir-Easter Festival has shown great potential to become a staple event in Nairobi’s cultural calendar.
We look forward to seeing more local choirs showcase their talents in future editions of the competition, with the hope that it will continue to receive the support and recognition it deserves.
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