CS Ogamba: Butere Girls students declined to perform Echoes of War by choice

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has denied claims that the government stopped Butere Girls High School from performing their play, Echoes of War, at the National Drama Festivals.

Speaking in Mombasa during high school sports competitions, Ogamba said the students chose not to go on stage after demanding that former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala be allowed to attend.

“When it was time for the students to take the stage, one of them stepped forward and announced they would not perform without their director,” Ogamba said on Thursday afternoon.

He noted that the learners had insisted on Malala’s presence, yet he was neither a teacher nor the official director of the play.

Ogamba also questioned the students’ motive, asking, “Is Malala their teacher?” His response came shortly after Malala was released from police custody, where he had been held following his arrest on Wednesday at Kirobon School in Nakuru.

Earlier reports had indicated that the students were denied access to essential materials for their performance, including costumes, soundtracks, and a proper stage setup.

Anti-riot police had also sealed off the venue, blocking media and public access. Students reportedly walked onto the stage, sang the national anthem, and walked out.

Malala, who was arrested at the rehearsal venue, was released without charges.

He claimed he was taken to a forest by officers before being moved to Eldama Ravine, where he was held without food, water, or access to a lawyer.

“I was arrested and placed in a Subaru, then taken to a forest by the DCI and later to Eldama Ravine, where I was held without water, food, or access to my lawyer. I was released a few minutes ago without any charges,” Malala said.

Speaking to the media after his release, he praised the students for standing their ground and refusing to perform without him.

“I am saying that those girls are the heroines of this nation. They should be celebrated, and their names should be inscribed with the history of this country,” he said.

In an earlier interview while in custody, Malala accused officials of infringing on the students’ rights.

“It was a heroic moment for those girls because they wouldn’t have performed without the audience, decor, costume and their directors. That is unfair, and I believe officials must be held accountable for denying the students their right to perform in an artistic activity,” he said.

Malala encouraged the girls to stay strong and proud of their stand.

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Echoes of War is a play that tackles themes such as technology, governance, and social justice, highlighting the role of youth and digital spaces in shaping the future of a nation healing from civil unrest.