Drama was witnessed at the ongoing national drama and Films Festivals competition at Lions Primary School in Nakuru on Thursday as government used all tactics to ensure that Butere Girls’ Students play ‘Echoes of War’ does not see the light of the day.
The play that talks of struggles of Gen z to hold government accountable seems to have gone sour with some individuals in government who in turn took measures to ensure the students have difficulty in showcasing the same.
Tribulations of the play began just some days to nationals when it was banned by the school Principal in what was seen as orders from the State House.
An alumni of the school who is now a serving advocate then moved to court to challenge the ban.
The courts letter gave directives allowing the play to proceed and be staged without any amendment.
This was a reprieve to the girls and even the PS for basic Education Professor Julius Bitok who was in Nakuru for the opening of the National Drama and Films Festivals competition at Lions Primary School assured the public that the play shall go on.
He admitted that the play had a few issues but they were sorted out and that the play will go on.
However, things turned out otherwise on the ground.
The play was scheduled to be staged at Lions Primary School Hall on Thursday as from 8.30am.
However, changes were made to the schedule allowing it to be staged as early as 6am.
To make matters worse, the girls who residing at Kirobon Girls in Nakuru were ordered not to rehearse the play on Wednesday even as heavy presence of police officers was seen around the school.
Another blow came as former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala who is behind the scripting of the play was barred from accessing the school.
Malala was later arrested taken to Nakuru Central Police Station before he was taken to Eldama-Ravine but later released following the intervention of his lawyer Ken Echesa and DAP-Kenya Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa.
Back at Melvine Jones School where the play was to be showcased, things turned chaotic as police officers were deployed barring members of the public, journalists to access the school as early as 6am.
Attempts by Eugene Wamalwa and lawyer Echesa to intervene in the matter fell on deaf ears as officers maintained that they were working on orders from above.
At around 8am, Butere Girls’ Students arrived in their school bus and were given a heroic welcome by the public who were camping outside the school’s gate yearning to watch the play but were barred.
After like 10 minutes, the girls alighted the school bus and headed to the Hall at Melvine Jones School.
Only to turn out that they were ordered to perform the play in empty hall without audience, decor and costumes.
A move that saw the girls protest and only sang the national anthem and left the hall disappointed heading back to the bus.
Attempts by lawyers Wamalwa and Echesa who had arrived, to intervene again fell on deaf ears as the security outside and inside the school could not allow them in.
As the Butere Girls’ School bus left Melvin Jones School compound they were escorted by other schools and members of the public as chants ‘Ruto must go’ rendered the air.
Around Menengai High School, some of the girls alighted the bus and as they were addressing journalists, police used teargas to disperse them and escorted them to unknown destination.
It would later emerge that the bus was escorted with three police land cruisers with armed police officers back to Kakamega County.
As it is history in drama and music festivals, items that make it at nationals always proceed to be performed at Statehouse Nairobi before the head of State.
This means if Butere Girls’ Students play ‘Echoes of War’ had won at ongoing Nationals in Nakuru then the Girls would perform before President William Ruto at Statehouse even though it’s a play that calls out corrupt leaders.