Police officers block the entrance of Melvin Jones Hall where Butere Girls' were set to perform their play 'Echoes of War'. (Inset) Playwright Cleophas Malala outside outside Kirobon Girls High School on April 9, 2025.
Members of Parliament now want Cleophas Malala to be held responsible for allegedly using students of Butere Girls to advance his political grievances against the current administration.
While condemning how the learners were mishandled by the police in Nakuru on Thursday morning during the controversy around performing the Echoes of War play, the MPs blamed Mr Malala for the woes that the girls encountered.
The matter was raised by Butere MP Tindi Mwale who is demanding action over the conduct of police.
Tindi Mwale, chairperson of the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee and Butere MP, at Bunge Towers on April 10, 2025.
Mr Mwale in a statement termed the incident as unfortunate as children were denied an opportunity to express their artistic freedom through the play.
The MP wants the committee on National administration and security to bring a report to the House on what happened to Butere Girls and the reasons for the deployment of anti-riot police and use of teargas
According to the lawmakers, the former senator for Kakamega County and secretary-general of UDA was wrong to script the drama that is laden with heavy political connotations and have secondary school students perform it.
Majority Whip Silvanus Osoro said the play by Butere Girls had no relation with this years’ theme. The theme is: Leveraging technology to nurture talent while inculcating national values for socio-economic development.
“As we speak today, Mr Malala should be charged for writing the script. This role should be done by a Teacher Service Commission teacher with TSC number. The director of education in that area, sub-county education director and teacher responsible for drama in that school should be responsible,” Mr Osoro said.
A crowd escort a school bus ferrying Butere Girls’ students from Melvin Jones Academy in Nakuru on April 10, 2025. The learners refused to perform the ‘Echoes of War’ play in the ongoing National Drama and Film Festivals.
“We condemn the teargassing of the children but as parents, we must take responsibility for raising a generation that is rebellious,” he added.
Eldas MP Adana Keynan said the Butere Girls were victims of politics perpetuated by Mr Malala questioning how the former Kakamega senator was allowed to do the scripting of the play.
“How did the school allow Mr Malala to participate in the children's drama?” he asked.
“I empathise with these innocent girls but how did this happen? How was it allowed? If you want to fight with President Ruto, go and deal with the politicians, don't go back to students, don’t use innocent children as characters,” Mr Keynan said.
'Misusing freedom'
Kisii Woman Representative Doris Donya said Kenyans are misusing the freedom they have claimed in some countries even WhatsApp platform is closed.
“When I was in school, I was in drama and was the best actor. When you are in school and doing drama, you must do things that even the teacher can understand what osmosis is. When I look at that play, they were saying Ruto must go, go where?” She asked.
“Let us not allow politicians in our schools, it’s the drama teachers who should do the script. That was not a drama teacher (Malala) but a politician who was seeking vengeance,” she added.
Mombasa Woman Representative Mohamed Zamzam said the play had a different agenda urging that school children should be taught things that bring the country together and not those that risk raising political temperatures.
However, Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba said the students should have been allowed to perform the play terming it just a satire and that no teacher should be punished.
“Drama is just about satire which has been there throughout. What we should do is to allow such play to be performed so that we move on, I hope our teachers won’t be punished,” Mr Milemba said.
