The Ministry of Education has denied blocking Butere Girls High School students from performing their controversial play, “Echoes of War,” at the Nakuru County National Drama Festival.
Speaking to the press on Thursday afternoon, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba stated that the students voluntarily declined to perform and instead chose to chant the name of former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala.
According to the education minister, as soon as they arrived, the students began chanting Malala’s name, demanding that police officers release him.
While briefing journalists, Ogamba expressed concern about the students’ motives for the chants, questioning whether Malala was their teacher.
“You are very aware that the students were allowed to perform. But when they came to the stage and after the national anthem, one of them stepped forward and said they are not willing to perform without their director, Cleophas Malala; who is not a teacher or a director at Butere Girls’ High School. So, the students, at their own volition, decided not to participate,” he stated.
Ogamba was forced to address the matter after public outrage from Kenyans, including those from the political class, who expressed disappointment at the controversial decision to stop the learners from performing their play.
His sentiments followed about two hours after the students refused to perform the controversial play and instead resorted to singing the national anthem before walking away.
However, while the learners were walking away, police officers intervened and began confronting the crowd that surrounded the students. In an attempt to disperse the crowd, the police officers pelted tear gas canisters at the crowd.
Preliminary information revealed that the learners were denied a public address system to use in the drama festivals, forcing their walkout.
Videos showed the girls running away from the dais, demanding the presence of their director, Cleophas Malala, who, at the time, was under police custody.
Efforts by teachers and other stakeholders to cool down the learners proved futile at the students momentarily staged a protest outside the Melvin Johns Hall to express their frustrations.
However, after hours of tension, the Butere Girls High School learners departed the venue for Kakamega in the company of a heavy police escort.
Meanwhile, several leaders, particularly those from the opposition, have criticised the government for allegedly failing to intervene and allow the leaders to perform their play.
Among those who spoke include Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka who accused President William Ruto’s administration of allowing the teargassing of the learners.
