Nairobi — The biggest annual music jamboree in East and Central Africa ended last Sunday largely unnoticed by many. The 84th edition of the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Music Festival attracted a record 91,604 participants all the way from kindergartens to universities.

Notably, the festival was held in Western Province, and in a university campus for the first time in 84 years. An elaborate event whose mission was originally to identify, nurture and expose talent and creativity through music, dance and elocution, the festival now needs to be re-branded and redefined to meet the needs and expectations of a changing society.

Fundamentally, the music festival has been an exciting expression of world cultures and a powerful platform for civic education.

For instance, the Interim Independent Electoral Commission, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, the Vision 2030 secretariat, Amnesty International, Nacada, KNHRC and other organisations have taken advantage of the festival to impart civic education.

However, with exception of the finalists' gala, the festival continues to attract dismal audiences, mainly comprising students, their teachers and trainers.

Yet with re-branding and proper marketing, the event could easily become the biggest cultural festival in Africa, attracting audiences from the whole world.

Indeed, foreign and local tourists alike would find it a one-stop-shop for world cultures since the festival draws presentations from diverse cultural backgrounds.

This year, the High Commission of India appointed a qualified adjudicator from India for oriental music!

Five years ago, the Kenya National Music Festival Committee resolved to take the event to a different province each year to "devolve" cultural tourism to the "grassroots".

The Kakamega event would have been a thrilling tourists' adventure with visits to bull-fighting arenas, the world-famous crying stone, the enthralling Kakamega Forest, and the throne of the King of Wanga.

The ministries of Education, Tourism, Culture and National Heritage should collaborate to make the festival a grand global spectacle.

The festival has the potential to overtake the Reed Dance in Swaziland and the Ashanti Kente Festival in Ghana if only planned, marketed and publicised as a tourist attraction.

Sadly, many students with great talent in music and other performing arts do not expect to develop and exploit their creativity due to lack of opportunities.

Proceeds from the festival should be used to establish an academy of performing arts to enable such children pursue their dreams. It is a high time we gave due consideration to the performing arts.

Mr Samora is a teacher in Chemelil Sugar Academy (okillahsamora@yahoo.com).