Keep politics out of schools, Murkomen tells off Malala over Echoes of War play

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned politicians against using students for political agendas, amid uproar over the Butere Girls High School's play, Echoes of War.

While defending students’ freedom of expression, he stressed the need to maintain clear boundaries in the education sector and keep politics out of schools.

Speaking during a visit to Lamu County on Thursday, Murkomen said that while students are free to question society and government, political figures should not hijack the learning environment to push their agendas.

“For avoidance of doubt, as the security sector, we protect our children, and they have a right and freedom of expression. They also have a right to a holistic environment where they can appreciate society and question wrong things. They even have the right to disagree with the government of the day,” he said.

The CS, however, called for clear boundaries in the education system, emphasising that political competition should not find its way into classrooms and drama festivals.

“There are boundaries that have been set in the education sector. Their teachers know how to teach. They can use euphemism and different kinds of language to criticise the government, criticise society and appreciate society,” he said.

“What I request is that we need clarity in our country where our political competition is not brought to the education arena. I would really request that political party actors do not use our students to become the scriptwriters.”

He questioned why politicians, rather than teachers, were involved in crafting scripts performed by students.

“Why can’t we allow teachers? Because even the competition itself loses value if teachers are not the ones writing the scripts. That is part of learning, so that our students can work with the teacher.”

Murkomen also addressed the controversy surrounding the alleged police teargassing of journalists in Nakuru during coverage of the Butere Girls play, which took place on Wednesday, April 9.

“There was an unfortunate situation where a tear gas hit a journalist, and it is regrettable. We apologise. It is not our intention to throw tear gas on our journalists,” Murkomen said, promising an internal investigation into the incident.

On whether the government was targeting the school, Murkomen was categorical that students were free to speak their minds, but reiterated that the involvement of political figures such as former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala raised concern.

“Ask yourself, as a Kenyan, how is it possible that we have reached a level where a politician has become the writer of a play for students? He is using the students for politics,” Murkomen said.

“Even if you look down upon the government, we know that these schools have teachers. Let politicians leave the teachers to do their work and leave students out of our politics.”

In response, Malala defended his involvement, arguing that he has been writing plays for schools for years without issue.

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• Murkomen tells off Malala over Echoes of War play