Silenced echoes: Butere Girls break down, decline to perform Echoes of War play

Taking the stage at around 8 am on Thursday, the students’ echoes were silenced after being denied a public address system that has been in use in the National Drama Festivals. 

Instead of performing the play, the students sang their National Anthem as they broke down and left the stage.

In a move seen as a deliberate frustration, the students also lacked an audience to listen to their play. They say that they have  not seen directors of the play, nor have they trained for the last 3 weeks. 

Echoes of War play has been a centre of attention as its theme is on Kenya’s governance, and the Gen Z led protests witnessed in 2024.

The play was disqualified during the Western Region Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances. A subsequent High Court ruling overturned that decision, reinstating the play and ordering its inclusion in the national lineup.

However, the Echoes of War play was marred by fresh controversy on Wednesday, when its script writer Cleophas Malala was blocked from accessing venue of the festival at Kirobon Girls High School in Nakuru.

As of 5 p.m., Malala, a former Senator, claimed that police had barricaded his vehicle and were threatening to arrest him.

On Wednesday night, police lobbed teargas canisters to disperse journalists who had camped outside the school to cover the standoff.

On Thursday, journalists and the public audience were blocked from accessing the venue of the festival at Kirobon Girls High School in Nakuru. 

No sight of cameras in the hall where the performances are showcased, as the KICD crew and other media partners who were covering the event have been asked to pack their equipment.

“They are saying no audience, no video, no photography and no shooting at all. KICD won't stream live even local productions for partners have been barred from shooting. No cameras are approved,” personnel who had been providing coverage of the festivals told Citizen Digital.