Blocking Butere Girls from performing was unnecessary: Itumbi

Speaking during the JKLive show, Itumbi clarified that he was sharing his personal views, noting that some critics tend to assume all government officials share similar opinions. 

"I belong to the group of people who say that it was absolutely unnecessary to block the girls from performing. There's an assumption that when you work for the government, you hold a certain position," he stated. 

Itumbi, however, played the devil's advocate by pointing out that since the government funds the entire Drama festivals, it naturally holds some influence over the content presented in the plays. 

"This festival is fully funded by the Government of Kenya. To be fair, the government has a point in making rules," he remarked. 

Further, Itumbi addressed the Teachers Service Regulations (TSC) that stipulates only registered teachers are allowed to script the plays, citing that they perform such plays out of passion despite violating the laws. 

"In the TSC regulations 2025, trainers of the Kenya National Drama festival items shall be teachers and tutors registered by the TSC or lecturers employed by a registered post-secondary education institution. I am not a teacher, just like Malala, we perform these plays out of passion, albeit illegally," Itumbi pointed out. 

 Itumbi noted that the issue of Butere Girls changed from a play to a school discipline issue when they declined to perform on stage. 

He added that the adjudicators did not prevent the students from performing, citing that they did not perform the play on their own volition. 

The Echoes of War has elicited a lot of debate nationwide over its theme, which is centered on Gen Z's rising against an oppressive government. 

Some critics have argued that the government was hellbent on preventing the play's performance, while others accused the playwright, former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, of using the play to settle political scores.