‘Echoes of War’ at play as Butere Girls boycott drama performance, cite harassment
School's lawyer says that after waiting for almost two hours, it was then they got to the stage, performed the national anthem, and bravely explained why they could not perform.
Drama was witnessed early today after students of Butere Girls High School refused to perform their play, ‘Echoes of War,’ at Jones Lions Academy in Nakuru, demanding that their director, Cleophas Malala, be present.
The students sang the national anthem before bravely explaining to the adjudicators their reasons for not performing their play.
Police lobbed tear gas canisters after members of the public and students from other schools and colleges joined them in solidarity. Social media videos showed the students chocking in tear gas inside their school bus as someone in the crowd urged them to open the windows.
Speaking to the media later, Butere Girls lawyer Kennedy Echesa explained that the lack of costumes, décor, and sound system, among other props, were the major reasons why the play was not performed.
Echesa stated that the girls were ready, but the frustration with the Ministry of Education and the police made it hard for them.
He revealed that the play had been staged even earlier than the normal start time.
“The students came to Lions Academy with the motive of performing the play. They came following a court order which directed that they come together with their teachers and director to entertain the nation at the National Drama Festivals. When they got to the venue, different from other days, the organizers had planned to begin at 6:30 am. At that time, they had no props for their play, including décor, sound system, and costumes, because their vehicle, which had them, was not allowed in,” he explained.
The lawyer added that after waiting for almost two hours, it was then they got to the stage, performed the national anthem, and bravely explained why they could not perform.
“At 7:30, the costumes were not in, and at 8:00 am, they were forced to perform without the costumes, even though the normal program begins at 8:30 am. At 8:30 am, they got to the stage, they performed the national anthem, and gave an explanation why they couldn’t perform,” he stated.
He added that after they left the stage and requested their driver to allow them to get water and snacks, but were tear gassed by the police, scattering them.
“They left and asked their driver to allow them to buy water, but they were dispersed by police officers using tear gas. What happened is a violation of the kids’ rights and the Constitution,” he said.
Echesa added that they will be moving back to court seeking arrest and penalisation of Basic Education PS Julius Bitok together with Western region Education Director for disobeying court orders.
“As lawyers, we will be going back to court to explain that the Western region Education Director and Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok have refused to obey court orders. We will be asking the court to heavily fine them to be a lesson to them and those with such behaviors,” he added.
Speaking while at Eldama Ravine Police station, former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, who is the playwright of the play, who was arrested yesterday while he had gone to the school to prep the girls, said he is yet to be informed reasons for his arrest, even as he is being detained.
He added that they would be doing everything to ensure the play is performed at the ongoing national drama festivals.
The Butere Girls students were set to perform the controversial ‘Echoes of War’ play, which speaks about governance in the country and the 2024 Gen Z protest.
Viral videos on social media show the girls running as they chanted, wanting their director, as they added that they had been harassed by the police.
“We want our director,” they shouted.
“The police harassed us, they took us to the stage with nothing. We sang our national anthem and said we are not going to perform,” one of the girls stated.
The high court allowed the Butere Girls to perform at the National Schools and Colleges Drama Festival after they had been controversially banned from staging the play at the regional level and students asked to go home.
The students got back to school over the weekend before making their way to Nakuru, where the event is taking place.
Yesterday, Malala claimed that there were orders from State House which the education officers were using to frustrate the girls and him.
