Gikuyu play Waiyaki Wa Hinga back on stage at Kenya National Theatre, 16–18 October

The Gikuyu-language play Waiyaki Wa Hinga returns to the stage at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi for three evening shows on 16, 17 and 18 October 2026, according to the ticketing platform Madfun. Each show starts at 7pm.

Madfun's booking page says the play is back on stage "after a powerful sold out first run". It describes the production as a play about Kenya's first freedom fighter, with Gikuyu cultural music, performances and storytelling. Tickets bought on the platform cannot be cancelled or refunded, and a ticket cannot be changed, the page says.

The Rio Times listing of Nairobi events for October, published on 2 October, gives the dates as Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026 at the Kenya National Theatre in central Nairobi.

Sana Post reported on 24 September 2026 that the production was returning to the stage on 16–18 October. It said the play is acted in Gikuyu and narrated in English and Swahili, and invites both Gikuyu and non-Gikuyu audiences. Sana Post named Ndúnyú Njerú as the creator, saying the production aims to preserve indigenous stories in native languages for coming generations. It links to gigs.madfun.com/event/1058 for tickets.

The play follows Waiyaki wa Hinga, the Gikuyu leader who met British colonial forces arriving in the 1890s. In the Sana Post account, he first tried diplomacy and resisted once requests for cooperation became demands for submission.

According to Sana Post's September report, the cast includes Ken Wakuraya, Pablo Kimani, Andrew Ng'ang'a, Charles Gachanja and Thuita Mwangi. Wakuraya, a former Inooro TV news anchor, plays the lead. Newsline reported on 8 May that he was returning to live theatre after 12 years away. Insight News and Newsline named Lawrence Murage as director.

Insight News and Newsline reported on 8 May 2026 that the first run would take place on the 8th, 9th and 10th. Newsline said ticket demand was strong on all three days. Sana Post's review, published on 13 May 2026, described a sold-out three-day run.

In that review, Faith Gatheru wrote that Wakuraya's performance balanced "leadership and vulnerability in a way that made the character feel deeply human". She said the music of Folk Fusion, Flow flani and Gathoni Dival gave the story "authenticity and emotional depth". She also wrote that the costumes felt too generic, the stage design felt somewhat limited for the scale of the story, and some dialogue was lost to audio and technical problems.

The review quoted the director, Murage, as saying: "If I were to retire today, I'd rest a very happy and fulfilled man."

According to the May reports by Insight News and Newsline, the cast also included Dival Gathoni, Njeri wa Kamau, Shish Madivani, Mzee Lawrence, FlowFlaani, Wairimu wa Mwangi, Matere James and Nyce Njeri.