Police have been condemned for teargassing students and journalists who were covering the Schools Drama and Music Festival in Nakuru.
The journalists were outside Kirobon Girls High School, where Butere Girls High School was scheduled to perform its highly anticipated play Echoes of War when they were teargassed.
The police had lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse the journalists who had camped outside the school gate to cover the unfolding standoff between former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala.
Malala, who wrote the play “Echoes of War,” was blocked from entering the school for final rehearsals on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the media was blocked from accessing the venue. The organizers introduced fresh restrictions, including a ban on photography, video recording, and live streaming of performances, halting coverage that had been ongoing since the festivals kicked off.
READ ALSO:
Why teachers, not school heads, are key to combating drug abuse in schools
The Butere girls walked out of the main stage venue after singing the national anthem instead of performing the play, citing police harassment and demanding to be told where Malala was.
The police later teargassed the students as they led them out of the venue of the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Music Festivals.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka condemned the act of teargassing the students.
He said the students’ bravery serves as a national wake-up call. When voices of truth are silenced, and art is censored, democracy suffers.
“I stand with Butere Girls and all students who joined the walkout in solidarity. Kenya must remain a country where even the echoes of war are heard and heeded. The silence from State House, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior is absolutely telling,” he said.
The play Echoes of War had been initially disqualified from the Western Region Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances, but a High Court ruling later overturned the decision and directed its inclusion.
Justice Wilfrida Okwany issued the court order on April 3, 2025.
By Obegi Malack
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
