Kenya National Drama and Film Festival
National co-curricular finals for schools and colleges — theatre, film and related performance — with hosts, themes and secondary-school play winners where recorded.
Organised under the Ministry of Education with partners (including KICD and sponsors such as Equity Bank). It is a co-curricular national festival for pre-primary through university — not a county government event.
The green highlight and tables focus on national finals. Learners progress through local and regional stages first. Confirm dates and venues with official announcements each year.
Where a “national winning play” is shown, it refers to the secondary-school (high school) play category only, from the compiled winners list for 1985–2026. Film, spoken word, primary and tertiary winners are published separately by organisers.
Past national finals
Most recent first. Held national finals from 1985 to the latest completed year in this dataset (high-school play winners from the compiled national list).
| Edition | Year | Host / venue | Theme | Secondary play winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64th | 2026 | Kagumo Teachers Training College, Nyeri County | Bold Storytellers, Digital Stages: Driving Kenya's Development through Theatre and Film | Alliance High School |
| 63rd | 2025 | Lions School (Melvin Jones Hall area), Nakuru County | Leveraging Technology to Nurture Talent While Inculcating National Values for Socio-Economic Prosperity | Moi High School Mbiruri |
| 62nd | 2024 | University of Embu (with Kangaru School), Embu County | Unlocking Opportunities for Socio-Economic Transformation Through Drama and Film | Mukuuni Boys High School |
| 61st | 2023 | Shanzu Teachers Training College, Mombasa County | Fostering National Values and Social Cohesion Through Drama and Film | Riara Springs High School |
| 60th | 2019 | Kibabii University, Bungoma County | Promoting Moral Responsibility Among Youth Through Theater and Film | Riara Springs High School |
| 59th | 2018 | Lenana School, Nairobi County | Enhancing National Cohesion and Integration through Film and Theater | Kakamega High School |
| 58th | 2017 | Kisumu Girls High School, Kisumu County | Sustaining National Growth through Creative Artistry | Kakamega High School |
| 57th | 2016 | Meru High School, Meru County | Nurturing Creative Talent for Prosperity | Kakamega High School |
| 56th | 2015 | Lohana Hall, Nakuru County | Promoting National Values and Ideals Through Drama | Laiser Hill Academy |
| 55th | 2014 | EMSika High School, Nyeri County | Youth Embracing National Cohesion and Integration | Riara Springs High School |
| 54th | 2013 | Tambach Teachers Training College, Elgeyo Marakwet County | Celebrating Our Diversity through Theater and Film | Kakamega High School |
| 53rd | 2012 | Kakamega High School, Kakamega County | National Integration and Cohesion | Riara Springs High School |
| 52nd | 2011 | Baringo High School, Baringo County | Enhancing Patriotism through Creative Arts | Alliance Girls' High School |
| 51st | 2010 | Kisumu Boys High School, Kisumu County | Promoting Healing and National Reconciliation | Kakamega High School |
| 50th | 2009 | Girls' High School, Nairobi, Nairobi County | Nurturing Talents for National Development | Menengai High School |
| 49th | 2008 | Nairobi School, Nairobi County | Enhancing National Integrity and Unity | Nairobi School |
| 48th | 2007 | Kangaru School, Embu County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Alliance Boys' High School |
| 47th | 2006 | Shanzu Teachers Training College, Mombasa County | Nurturing Creative Talents for National Development | Alliance Boys' High School |
| 46th | 2005 | Moi Forces Academy Lanet, Nakuru County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Moi Forces Academy, Lanet |
| 45th | 2004 | Kakamega High School, Kakamega County | Enhancing Child Protection and Integrity | State House Girls' High School |
| 44th | 2003 | Kisumu Boys High School, Kisumu County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Kakamega High School |
| 43rd | 2002 | Melvin Jones Hall, Nakuru County | Promoting Health and Social Responsibility | Upperhill School |
| 42nd | 2001 | Shanzu Teachers Training College, Mombasa County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Kiaguthu Secondary School |
| 41st | 2000 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | A Century of Drama: Reflection and Transitions | Limuru Girls High School |
| 40th | 1999 | Shanzu Teachers Training College, Mombasa County | Social responsibility and emerging youth issues | Kakamega High School |
| 39th | 1998 | Kangaru School, Embu County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Kabare High School |
| 38th | 1997 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Introduction of the African Storytelling category | Kerugoya High School |
| 37th | 1996 | Kakamega High School, Kakamega County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Kakamega High School |
| 36th | 1995 | Melvin Jones Hall, Nakuru County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Bungoma High School |
| 35th | 1994 | Shanzu Teachers Training College, Mombasa County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Tumu Tumu Girls High School |
| 34th | 1993 | Kisumu Boys High School, Kisumu County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Moi High School, Kabarak |
| 33rd | 1992 | Nairobi School, Nairobi County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Bungoma High School |
| 32nd | 1991 | Kangaru School, Embu County | Theme not recorded in open sources | Moi High School, Kabarak |
| 31st | 1990 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Focus on post-colonial cultural heritage | Moi High School, Kabarak |
| 30th | 1989 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Emerging social changes | Butere Girls High School |
| 29th | 1988 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Community development and education | Gendia High School |
| 28th | 1987 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Youth morality and cultural identity | Alliance Boys' High School |
| 27th | 1986 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Post-colonial education transitions | Kaaga Girls' High School |
| 26th | 1985 | Kenya National Theatre, Nairobi County | Preservation of indigenous culture | Kangaru High School |
COVID break years
Years with no high-school national play winner in the compiled list (COVID-era break).
- 2022 — COVID-era break — no high-school national play winner recorded in the compiled winners list.
- 2021 — COVID break — no full national high-school play winner.
- 2020 — COVID break — no full national high-school play winner.
History and data notes
The first Schools Drama Festival was held in April 1959. National finals were long associated with the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi before rotating more widely among schools and colleges.
The modern title includes Film. Film categories were expanded over time; early decades were primarily stage drama.
High-school play winners from 1985 to 2026 follow the compiled national winners list (including COVID breaks for 2020–2022). The 64th State Concert was held at State House Grounds, Nairobi. Edition numbers for 1985–1989 are reconstructed from the continuous sequence into the 31st edition (1990). The first Schools Drama Festival is dated to 1959; earlier decades are not fully tabulated here.
Related
Published: 15 July 2026 • Last updated: 15 July 2026
This information is regularly reviewed to ensure accuracy.