Eldama Ravine| Tensions erupted at the ongoing Kenya National Drama and Film Festival following a dramatic walkout by Butere Girls High School students, who cited police harassment and inadequate performance conditions shortly after delivering the national anthem.
The incident has sparked a firestorm of criticism over alleged state censorship, police brutality, and political interference in artistic expression.
The protest unfolded at Melvin Jones School in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County, the official venue for this year’s festival.
According to eyewitnesses, the students—scheduled to perform the controversial play Echoes of War—refused to go on stage, claiming they had been denied access to the public address system and essential stage equipment.
In an emotional moment, the students departed the venue in tears, triggering chants from the crowd of “No Butere, No Drama, Ruto Must Go.”
The situation escalated further when police officers lobbed teargas canisters at students and members of the public who had gathered outside the venue in protest.
The aggressive response by law enforcement drew swift condemnation from opposition leaders and politicians from the Western region, who accused the government of suppressing free expression and intimidating school children.
At the center of the controversy is former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, the author of Echoes of War.
Malala was arrested under unclear circumstances the previous night in Rongai, Nakuru County, and is currently being held incommunicado at the Eldama Ravine Police Station. He is expected to be arraigned in court later today.
In a statement released from custody, Malala decried the treatment of the students, revealing that they were forced to perform without costumes, soundtracks, or a proper stage setup.
“This is not just an attack on a play,” he said. “It is a blow to the soul of the creative spirit. What a devastating day for the art!”
Echoes of War, a hard-hitting political satire, critiques entrenched systems of political patronage, corruption, and the betrayal of public trust.
The play had previously faced a nationwide ban by the Ministry of Education, only to be reinstated through a court order days before the national festival began.
The Ministry of Education has yet to release an official statement, but sources within the Drama Festival Secretariat indicated mounting pressure from high-ranking government officials to exclude politically sensitive content from the competition.
The unfolding events have ignited nationwide debate on freedom of expression, the role of art in political discourse, and the extent to which state power should be permitted to influence school-based creative platforms.
Civil society organizations and education stakeholders are now calling for an independent investigation into the conduct of security agencies, the Ministry’s oversight of the festival, and the circumstances surrounding Malala’s arrest.
As the dust settles, questions linger over the future of student theatre in Kenya and whether creative spaces can truly thrive in an environment marked by increasing censorship and political intolerance.
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