Butere Girls’ ‘Echoes of War’ Cleared for Festival Performance

Butere Girls High School will proceed with their highly anticipated stage play “Echoes of War” at the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Film Festival in Nakuru, following days of controversy and a court ruling that lifted an earlier ban.

Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, confirmed that the school has not been barred from performing. Taking to X, Itumbi said, “There is a special joy in taking the stage in the National Festival… Butere Girls have not been stopped from performing their play. It will be staged, as far as I know. Nawatakia mema.”

His statement follows reports that the school’s Gen Z-themed play had been banned for allegedly criticizing the government. The play, “Echoes of War”, examines issues of governance, social justice, and digital activism, placing Gen Z voices at the center of national recovery after a fictional civil conflict.

The matter escalated on Wednesday night when playwright Cleophas Malala claimed he was blocked by police from rehearsing with the students at Kirobon Girls High School in Nakuru. A video circulating online showed Malala in a standoff with officers, including a man he identified as the Nakuru DCIO.

However, Justice Wilfrida Okwany of the High Court intervened, suspending any directive that barred Butere Girls from participating in the festival. The court ruling, delivered on April 3, cleared the way for the school’s participation.

“Echoes of War” is now set to be performed at the festival, with many applauding the students’ resilience and the court’s defense of artistic expression and youth voices in national conversations.