Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has addressed the controversy surrounding the Butere Girls' High School play, Echoes of War.
In an update on Thursday, April 10, Mwaura said the government was aware of the drama surrounding the play, noting that Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba would issue a comprehensive statement in due course.
“On Butere Girls' Echoes of War, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba will issue a comprehensive statement shortly,” he stated.
Mwaura highlighted the government's commitment to freedom of expression but cautioned against the politicization of student platforms.
“The Government remains committed to ensuring freedom of expression. Political actors shouldn't use children to speak on their behalf in order to settle scores," he added.
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Butere Girls' students refused to perform the play at the ongoing National Drama Festivals at the Melvin Jones Lions Academy in Nakuru following Malala's arrest on Wednesday, April 9.
The students who were set to perform the play on Thursday morning, April 10, demanded the presence of Malala before performing.
In a video seen by Nairobileo.co.ke, the girls could be seen running as they shouted “We want our director”.
Additionally, one of the Butere Girls students cited police harassment and a poor stage setup for their play.
“We were harassed by the police, they took us to the stage with nothing. We sang our national anthem and said we are not going to perform,” she said.
Malala was arrested at Kiboron Girls' High School as he attempted to join the Butere girls' students for final rehearsals ahead of their performance.
Speaking at the scene, 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.
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is among political figures who condemned Malala's arrest, describing it as an attack on artistic freedom.
In a statement on Wednesday, Gachagua took issue with the deployment of Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers to apprehend the former Senator.
"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.
Malala was released on Thursday.
