Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has strongly criticized the disruption of Butere Girls High School’s performance of the controversial play Echoes of War, describing the interference as unnecessary and unjustified.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s JKLive, Itumbi emphasized that his sentiments were personal and not a reflection of the entire government’s stance, cautioning against the assumption that all public officials share a unified opinion on sensitive matters.
“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,” Itumbi stated.
Also Read
While defending the students’ right to artistic expression, Itumbi also acknowledged the government’s role in regulating the national drama festivals, citing its financial backing of the event.
“This festival is fully funded by the Government of Kenya. To be fair, the government has a point in making rules,” he added.
Itumbi further referenced the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) guidelines, which mandate that only registered teachers or lecturers are allowed to script or train students for drama festivals. He admitted that both he and former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala—who scripted the play—acted out of passion despite lacking the required credentials.
“In the TSC regulations 2025, trainers of the Kenya National Drama Festival items shall be teachers and tutors registered by the TSC. I am not a teacher, just like Malala. We perform these plays out of passion, albeit illegally,” he confessed.
According to Itumbi, the issue at Butere Girls escalated from a content controversy to a matter of student discipline after they reportedly refused to take the stage.
He clarified that the adjudicators did not stop the students from performing, but rather, it was a decision made by the students themselves.
Echoes of War, which explores themes of youth rebellion and civic resistance against oppression, has stirred national debate. While supporters hail it as a bold artistic reflection of Gen Z frustrations, critics accuse its creators of politicizing school drama festivals.