{"id":113453,"date":"2025-04-10T15:03:24","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T15:03:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/04\/10\/gachagua-allies-demand-accountability-for-drama-festival-chaos\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T15:03:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T15:03:24","slug":"gachagua-allies-demand-accountability-for-drama-festival-chaos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/gachagua-allies-demand-accountability-for-drama-festival-chaos\/","title":{"rendered":"Gachagua allies demand accountability for drama festival chaos"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 10 \u2014 Allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have condemned the treatment of Butere Girls High School students and journalists in the wake of the Echoes of War<\/em> play, demanding accountability from those responsible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, lawmakers led by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba described the incident as a \u201cdisgraceful act\u201d that amounted to state-sponsored brutality.<\/p>\n

\u201cI call for immediate accountability. Those responsible must face justice. Remaining silent in the face of such an atrocity is complicity. Kenya must choose between tyranny and liberty,\u201d Wamuchomba declared.<\/p>\n

She criticized the government for violating the rights of children and artists, calling the incident a constitutional breach that must not go unchallenged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThose girls confessed on TV that they didn\u2019t eat, sleep, or even shower the night before the performance. This is not how we treat our children. On behalf of this government, I must call it out for what it has become,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Use of force on minors<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tetu MP Geoffrey Wandeto echoed Wamuchomba\u2019s remarks, condemning the use of force against minors engaged in a peaceful and educational activity.<\/p>\n

\u201cChildren should not become political pawns. This crackdown highlights a government that is intolerant of dissent\u2014even from students,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He linked the incident to earlier state actions during the Gen Z protests and abductions.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet children express themselves. They know their rights. Whoever they choose to guide that expression is within those rights,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa questioned what he termed as harassment of the former UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala for advocating accountability through art.<\/p>\n

\u201cMalala is being targeted because he speaks the truth. Those calling out the government are the ones facing intimidation. Had he been from the President\u2019s side, this wouldn\u2019t have happened,\u201d Thangwa claimed.<\/p>\n

He criticized the administration for failing to protect the next generation.<\/p>\n

\u201cInstead of building classrooms or paying teachers, this government is now brutalizing students. After chasing them from the streets, you\u2019re now invading their classrooms,\u201d Thangwa lamented.<\/p>\n

Censorship Concerns<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Tensions flared at the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Film Festival on Thursday after members of the public and journalists were blocked from entering Kirobon Girls High School in Nakuru. <\/p>\n

Butere Girls High School was scheduled to perform their highly anticipated play Echoes of War<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The play, which explores governance failures and the 2024 Gen Z-led protests, had already gained national attention.<\/p>\n

Malala, who wrote the controversial script, was arrested on Wednesdat evening under unclear circumstances and later transferred from Nakuru Central Police Station.<\/p>\n

His arrest triggered widespread public outcry, with many accusing the state of suppressing freedom of expression.<\/p>\n

Silent protest <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Malala\u2019s detention\u2014seen as a direct affront to artistic freedom\u2014occurred just hours before the scheduled performance. <\/p>\n

The festival faced criticism for censoring the play, which had previously been disqualified before a court reinstated it.<\/p>\n

In protest, Butere Girls students staged a powerful silent demonstration. They sang the national anthem and then exited the stage without performing.<\/p>\n

Outside the venue, chaos unfolded as police reportedly lobbed teargas at students and journalists.<\/p>\n

The government continues to face mounting criticism from civil society, political leaders, and human rights organizations for its handling of the incident and for allegedly using excessive force to suppress artistic expression.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 10 \u2014 Allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have condemned the treatment of Butere Girls High School students and journalists in the wake of the Echoes of War play, demanding accountability from those responsible. Addressing journalists at Parliament Buildings on Thursday, lawmakers led by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba described the incident […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113453\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}