The recent saga surrounding Butere Girls High School’s play Echoes of War exposes a disturbing pattern of double speak, repression, and disregard for artistic freedom within the current Kenyan administration. What was supposed to be a celebration of young talent and creative expression at the National Drama Festival turned into a political theater marred by state paranoia and conflicting government narratives.
After a court ruling cleared
Echoes of War to be performed at the National Theatre in Nakuru, what followed was nothing short of state-sponsored censorship. Instead of a vibrant celebration of art, the performance unfolded under a blanket of intimidation. The auditorium, which should have been filled with cheering students, parents, and drama enthusiasts, was instead swarming with uniformed police officers. The environment was tense and restrictive — as if the girls were staging a revolution, not a school play. Journalists were barred. Fellow students from other schools, who would typically serve as a supportive audience, were locked out. Only the cast members and adjudicators were allowed in.
One wonders: how does art thrive in an environment that resembles a prison more than a theatre?
This excessive policing of art raises serious questions about the state’s understanding of literature and its role in society. Plays are not mere entertainment — they are mirrors to society. They challenge, provoke, and encourage dialogue. What threat did
Echoes of War pose that warranted such draconian oversight?
The contradictions in the government’s handling of this case further fuel the public's confusion and anger. On one hand, the state arrested Hon. Cleophas Malala, a former Senator, allegedly as the scriptwriter of
Echoes of War, implying that he was using students to push a subversive political agenda. Yet, on the other hand, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba distanced the Ministry from the arrest, claiming Malala was neither the writer, director, nor teacher at Butere Girls. He went as far as saying that the girls had refused to perform unless their director, who they had worked with from the beginning, was present — but that this person was not Malala.
So, the lingering question remains: why was Malala arrested in the first place?
If he had no official association with the play, then his arrest was not only unjustified but also an abuse of state power — a clear intimidation tactic aimed at deterring other artists and public figures from encouraging dissenting ideas through art. If he was indeed the writer or contributor, then why deny it? The government cannot have it both ways.
Further controversy surrounds the reported resignation of Butere Girls’ principal, Mrs. Jennifer Omondi. It is unclear on what grounds she was allegedly forced to resign. Was it because she allowed the play to be performed? Because she supported the students’ artistic expression? Or was it simply a scapegoat move by the Ministry to quell growing criticism? Her resignation, if true, appears more as a punishment than a procedural exit.
Ironically, the theme provided by the Ministry of Education for this year’s competition was “Government and the Constitution.” And
Echoes of War, by all accounts, stayed within the confines of this theme. The play explored governance, conflict, and constitutional betrayal — all of which are relevant to the Kenyan socio-political landscape. Instead of applauding the students for crafting a narrative that thoughtfully engaged with this theme, the state responded with suspicion and suppression.
This saga exposes the thin-skinned nature of the Kenyan government when confronted with uncomfortable truths — even when those truths are presented by schoolchildren through literature. Historically, Kenyan students have studied plays like
Betrayal in the City by Francis Imbuga,
Kifo Kisimani by Said Ahmed Mohamed, and even
Shamba la Wanyama, adaptations of George Orwell’s
Animal Farm. These works were allowed, even encouraged, because they invited critical thought and dialogue about governance. Why, then, is
Echoes of War treated as an act of treason?
The crackdown on Butere Girls is not just about one school or one play — it is a reflection of a larger, troubling trend in Kenya where artistic expression is being stifled, intellectual freedom is under siege, and truth is being criminalized. The government’s reaction betrays a fear of accountability and a reluctance to face the consequences of poor governance, corruption, and public discontent.
In a democratic society, literature — especially student literature — should be a safe space to question authority, imagine alternatives, and dream of justice. It is not the government’s role to script or censor the conscience of a nation. The performance of Echoes of War should have been a proud moment for the country, not a scandal wrapped in secrecy, fear, and double speak.
The youth are watching. The world is watching. And history will not be kind to those who silence the voices of the next generation.
We urge the Kenyans to be very informed that the literature is the mirror of society and should be allowed to freely run.as it thrives on creativity and imagination and as such no government can stop human mind to think or imagine creatively
It should not be taken that everything Kenyans do is perceived in a political angle no. We aren't heading to right direction an a nation.
Is the Kenyan constitution 2010 still working or we have moved back to the initial constitution of 1963 though had some amendments???
# lutherking
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