BUTERE GIRLS WALK OUT IN PROTEST AT NATIONAL DRAMA FESTIVAL

Butere Girls High School students staged a dramatic walkout today at the National Drama Festivals in Nakuru, refusing to perform their play Echoes of War after being denied a public address system and access to their directors. The students sang the national anthem and left the stage in tears, citing frustration and deliberate suppression.

The play, which focuses on governance and the 2024 Gen Z protests, has faced controversy, including a previous disqualification that was later overturned by a court. Tensions escalated yesterday when the scriptwriter, Cleophas Malala, was arrested outside the venue. Media and public access were also blocked, and KICD was instructed not to stream or record the performances.

In a rare show of solidarity, other schools also declined to perform, raising serious concerns about censorship and freedom of expression in student theatre.