People's Liberation Party leader Martha Karua on Tuesday, April 7, condemned the government over a new rule that banned politics during the drama festivals.
Karua questioned why the government was afraid of schools presenting plays touching on politics during the annual festivals.
She argued that the new rule amounts to censorship, stating that politicians were uncomfortable and attempted to hide the truth that school-going children can have already seen.
"The arts have always been Kenya's mirror. When that mirror makes the powerful uncomfortable, the answer is not to break it.
"Censoring school drama protects those in power from the truth our children can already see. Mnaogopa nini, exactly?" Karua questioned.
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The PLP leader told the government that it could not bar students from speaking about politics because it directly affected their lives and future.
"Artistic freedom is not a threat to Kenya; however, a government that silences its children is," Karua reiterated.
Her sentiments came after reports emerged that a school had been disqualified during the competitions for mentioning 'Singapore'.
The guidelines of the 2026 Kenya Drama and Film Festivals Rules and Guidelines imposed a blanket ban on political content.
The rules dictate that school drama must not engage in politics directly or indirectly. This includes references to current leaders, governments, policies, pr even symbolic representations that could be interpreted as political commentary.
In 2025, Butere Girls' High School was barred from presenting their play, 'Echoes of War', at the National Drama Festival.
The play was directed by DCP Deputy Party Leader Cleophas Malala and addressed national issues facing the country at the time.
Malalah claimed that the government censored the students for exposing the Kenya Kwanza administration.
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