Former Attorney General Justine Muturi has condemned the violent actions taken by police officers during the chaos at the Butere Girls Drama Festival in Nakuru, describing the incident as a dark and shameful moment in the nation’s history.
Taking on X, Muturi questioned the threat posed by the group of schoolgirls who were tear-gassed while performing a play at the festival.
He pointed out that if the government trembles at the sight of a group of uniformed girls, it must reconsider its actions.
“What threat does a group of uniformed girls pose to the mighty State?” Muturi asked, adding that the government’s reaction raised concerns about what it might be running from.
Muturi further emphasized that young people are the future of the nation and should not be silenced or oppressed.
“Our young people are not the enemy. They are the soul of our nation,” he said.
“Their voices must not be silenced; their creativity must not be crushed under the boots of fear.”
He argued that any government that cannot handle a high school play has no business upholding democratic values.
The Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) also strongly condemned the police’s actions during the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival at Melvin Jones Hall in Nakuru.
In a statement, AMWIK criticized the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers, which not only endangered the lives of schoolchildren but also violated the fundamental rights of journalists and the public.
“Journalists have a right to report freely without intimidation or violence, while children must be protected from harm in all circumstances,” the association stated. AMWIK called for an immediate investigation into the incident and accountability for those responsible for disrupting the event.
Amnesty International Kenya joined the calls for justice, criticizing the police for blocking journalists and firing teargas into the crowd, which included young performers and their teachers. Irungu Houghton, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Kenya, described the actions as a direct assault on constitutional freedoms and an attempt to criminalize creativity. He emphasized that the children’s right to artistic expression, protected by both Kenyan law and international human rights agreements, had been violated.
The human rights group also called for the release of Cleophas Malala, the director of the play Echoes of War, who had been arrested and detained. Amnesty urged the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in the incident.
The play Echoes of War, which tackles themes of governance and youth-led protests, has been at the center of political controversy, with critics accusing the government of suppressing artistic freedom. ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna condemned the government’s actions, likening them to the regime’s fear of children’s art. “Serious questions arise when a government is scared of children’s art,” he said.
Malala, who authored the play, was arrested on Wednesday night and later released without charge. Upon his release, he raised concerns about 15 missing students from the cast and demanded the police account for their whereabouts.
The controversy surrounding Echoes of War began when it was disqualified from the Western Region Drama Festivals, but a High Court ruling reversed the decision, allowing it to compete at the national level.
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