Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has condemned the arrest of Senator Cleophas Malala over the play, Echoes of War.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 9, Gachagua criticized the deployment of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers to arrest Malala, describing the incident as an attack on artistic freedom.
"The use of the criminal justice system to suppress creativity and social audit has reached alarming proportions.
"It is a shame of unimaginable proportion that dozens of DCI detectives in five vehicles have been dispatched to arrest and intimidate Senator Cleophas Malala for writing a script that has won its way to the National Drama festival in Nakuru,” he said.
Additionally, Gachagua defended the play, arguing that it poses no real threat, and should be viewed as a legitimate form of expression.
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"The satirical play, Echoes of War, which strongly captures the lying culture of this administration, is innocent in itself in the literary universe, just to explain to those who feel threatened.
“In any case, the detectives will harass the messenger, but the message remains; this action only creates more awareness of the literary piece and the message,” he added.
Earlier Wednesday, drama ensued at Kiboron Girl's High School in Nakuru after Malala was blocked from accessing students of Butere Girls High School.
Malala, the scriptwriter of the play Echoes of War, was intercepted outside the school as he attempted to join the students for final rehearsals ahead of their performance on Thursday, April 10.
Speaking at the scene, he Malala maintained that the High Court had granted him the right to direct the play.
“The High Court has allowed me to direct the play; they are performing tomorrow morning and other directors are already here. You have to respect the court order because it gives me a mandate to train the children, so you are denying the children their right.
'"If you want to arrest me then say why are you arresting me because I'm implementing the court order,” he said while talking to an officer from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Malala further accused President William Ruto of attempting to censor him and vowed to continue his work as mandated by the courts.
"I will not be intimidated, I will write what I want; nobody can censure me. Tell President William Ruto he will not censure me; if he is the one who has given these instructions, it won't be possible. I'll do what the court has instructed me,” he added.
Malala was ultimately arrested.
