Itumbi faults halting of Butere Girls' play, calls action unnecessary but defends state's role
The play’s controversial theme, which focuses on a young generation rising up against an oppressive government, has triggered intense public debate, with some accusing the government of attempting to suppress the message, while others have criticised Malala for potentially using the play for political gain.
Dennis Itumbi, the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, has criticised the decision to halt Butere Girls Secondary School from performing Echoes of War during the national drama festivals, calling the action unnecessary.
Speaking during the JKLive show on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Itumbi shared his personal opinion on the matter, stressing that critics should not assume that all government officials share the same perspective.
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"I belong to the group of people who say that it was absolutely unnecessary to block the girls from performing," Itumbi said.
He also highlighted a common misconception that all government employees hold the same beliefs.
While Itumbi disagreed with blocking the performance, he acknowledged that the government, as the festival's sponsor, has the right to influence what is presented.
"This festival is fully funded by the government of Kenya. To be fair, the government has a point in making rules," he said.
Itumbi also discussed the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) regulations, which require that only registered teachers are allowed to write scripts for the drama festival plays.
While not a teacher himself, Itumbi pointed out that many, including former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, participate in these performances out of passion, even though their actions may be in violation of the rules.
"I am not a teacher, just like Malala, we perform these plays out of passion, albeit illegally," he said.
The situation surrounding the performance escalated when Butere Girls chose not to stage their play, turning the issue from a theatrical disagreement into a matter of school discipline.
Itumbi clarified that the adjudicators had not stopped the performance, as it was the students' decision not to participate.
The play’s controversial theme, which focuses on a young generation rising up against an oppressive government, has triggered intense public debate, with some accusing the government of attempting to suppress the message, while others have criticised Malala for potentially using the play for political gain.
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