Police on Wednesday evening fired teargas canisters to disperse crowds outside Kirobon Girls High School amid a dramatic standoff involving former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala. The chaos unfolded as Malala attempted to oversee rehearsals of Echoes of War, a controversial school play authored by him and performed by Butere Girls High School.
The play, which had initially been banned during the Western Region Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances, was reinstated by a court order allowing its performance during the ongoing 63rd edition of the Kenya National Drama Festivals. It is scheduled to be staged on Thursday morning at Lions Primary School in Nakuru.
Malala, a theatre enthusiast and former UDA Secretary General, accused the police of trying to block his access to the school to prevent him from supervising the final rehearsal. “The police barricaded my car and threatened to arrest me,” he said in a live video posted online around 5 p.m.
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Live coverage by Citizen TV captured chaotic scenes, including clouds of teargas and journalists scampering for safety as police intensified their presence. Reporters who had camped outside the school to cover the unfolding events were forced to flee as tensions escalated.
The drama surrounding Echoes of War has sparked national attention, particularly for its bold Gen Z-themed script, which allegedly critiques the current government. The controversy has reignited discussions around censorship in the arts and the right to creative expression within educational institutions.
Butere Girls’ students had already broken for the April holidays before the court ruling but were recalled for final preparations. However, it remains unclear whether they managed to rehearse on Wednesday as scheduled due to the police interference.
Malala, who has a long-standing history in drama and youth arts development, has vowed not to back down. “This play must go on. It speaks for the voices the government wants silenced,” he told reporters before police broke up the gathering.
As of Thursday morning, all eyes are on Lions Primary School to see whether the play will be performed as per the court’s directive — or if further clashes will erupt over its controversial content.