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The much-anticipated performance of Echoes of War, a play by Butere Girls High School, descended into chaos on Thursday morning at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in Nakuru County.
What was meant to be a festival highlight turned sour at Melvin Jones Hall when delays, police intervention, and student walkout disrupted the 8:00 AM performance.
Penned by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, the play has stirred controversy for its bold political themes, drawing parallels to the 2024 Gen Z protests and offering a sharp critique of governance in Kenya.
After weeks of legal battles and public scrutiny, the High Court had ordered the school’s principal, Jennipher Omondi, to reinstate the 50 drama students and facilitate their participation following an initial ban allegedly linked to pressure from State House.
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Yet, despite the court’s ruling, the students faced significant hurdles as they prepared to take the stage.
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The morning began with reports of police clearing the hall at 6:15 AM, evacuating journalists and barring the public from entering Kirobon Girls High School, the festival venue.
Anti-riot police were deployed, with 15 officers reportedly stationed around the stage.
Sources indicated that the students were instructed to perform without costumes, stage sets, or public address system resources that had been available to other schools throughout the festival.
By 7:00 AM, the performance had still not started, and tensions were mounting.
When the Butere Girls finally took the stage at 8:00 AM, they did not perform Echoes of War.
Instead, in a poignant act of defiance, the students sang the national anthem and walked off, refusing to proceed.
They cited a lack of preparation, having been denied training for three weeks, missing directors, and the absence of an audience as reasons for their decision.
“We were harassed by the police, they took us to the stage with nothing, no sound, no decor. We sang the national anthem and said we were not performing,” one student reportedly lamented.
The walkout sparked immediate solidarity from other schools, with students joining Butere Girls in protest.
Chants against President William Ruto echoed through the venue, prompting police to lob tear gas into Melvin Jones Academy, dispersing the crowd and forcing students back to their buses.
Former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, who was arrested the previous evening in connection to the play, is reportedly held at Eldama Ravine Police Station, further fueling accusations of state interference.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok had assured the public on April 7 that the play would proceed, stating that all issues had been resolved.
However, today’s events have reignited debates over censorship and freedom of expression in Kenyan schools.
This is not the first time Butere Girls has faced such challenges; in 2013, their play Shackles of Doom, also penned by Malala, was banned before being reinstated by court order.
As the festival continues until April 15, the fate of Echoes of War remains uncertain, but the students’ stand has captured national attention, raising questions about the stifling of youthful voices in Kenya’s cultural landscape.