Butere Girls’ play 'Echoes of War' pulled from Western regional drama festival
The school’s drama club has been instructed to disband, with its members expected to leave by Monday.
Butere Girls High School’s drama team has been dealt a major setback after their play, Echoes of War, was removed from the Western Regional Drama Festival winners’ gala.
The event, scheduled to take place at St Peter’s Mumias Boarding School from Friday to Sunday, will now proceed without the play, raising concerns about the reasons behind its exclusion.
The school’s drama club has been instructed to disband, with its members expected to leave by Monday.
This development effectively halts their journey to the National Drama Festival in Nakuru, where they had hoped to present their work.
However, no official explanation has been provided regarding the play’s removal.
The incident draws comparisons to the 2013 ban of Shackles of Doom, a play authored by former Kakamega senator Cleophas Malala.
In that case, the Ministry of Education blocked its performance at the national level, only for the High Court to overturn the decision after a legal challenge by activist and current Busia senator Okiya Omtatah.
Justice David Majanja ruled that the play should be performed at the national festival in Mombasa, emphasizing that freedom of expression is protected under the Constitution.
Gen Z
Malala, the writer of Echoes of War, explores themes of governance, technology, and social justice in the play, which resonates strongly with Generation Z.
Set in the fictional Royal Velvet Emirates, the story follows a nation emerging from civil war, where young people are leading efforts to rebuild institutions and advocate for improved healthcare, education, and justice systems.
The protagonist, Mustafa, is a final-year IT student who develops Telemedicine, a software connecting patients to doctors worldwide.
However, his involvement in the political discussions of the past war, as seen in his social media history, puts him at odds with the ruling authorities.
Another key character, Anifa Imana, is an artificial intelligence (AI) system that embodies both the benefits and dangers of technology in modern governance.
Through these elements, the play critiques the role of digital platforms in shaping political landscapes and highlights the power of youth in driving societal change.
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