All students from Butere Girls High School who had been reported missing following a standoff over the controversial ‘Echoes of War’ school play have been accounted for.
Officials said the 15 students had scampered for their safety after police tried to disperse them in Nakuru moments after they had declined to stage their play.
At the same time, Chief Justice Martha Koome condemned the developments at the event.
“It is particularly disturbing that these events occurred against the backdrop of clear and binding court orders issued by the High Court sitting in Kisii, in Anifa Mango v Principal, Butere Girls High School & 3 Others, Petition No. E006 of 2025.”
“In that decision, delivered on 3rd April 2025, the High Court directed the school administration and the organisers of the Kenya National Drama Festivals to facilitate and ensure that 50 students of Butere Girls High School participate in and perform their play titled ‘Echoes of War’ at the national drama festival,” she said.
Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala had earlier raised the alarm saying that 15 girls were unaccounted for, urging the police to provide answers.
“Our cast comprises 38 girls. We have received information that 15 girls are missing. We want to know where our girls are. Police should produce the girls,” he told reporters Thursday.
The missing group of students was found safe.
Malala clarified that the girls had scattered for safety and were separated from their fellow students after police deployed teargas to disperse journalists and local residents who had gathered around the school bus during the standoff.
The ‘Echoes of War’ play was set to be performed at the National Drama Festival Thursday morning, but this did not happen after police blocked Malala, the playwright and director, from accessing the venue.
As a result, the students refused to perform. When they took the stage around 8 am on Thursday, they sang the National Anthem instead of performing their play as they broke down in tears and exited the stage. The students were also denied the use of a public address system, which had been a key part of the festival.
‘Echoes of War’ has been a centre of attention as its theme is on Kenya’s governance and the 2024 youth-led anti-government protests.
The play was disqualified during the Western Region Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances.
A subsequent High Court ruling overturned that decision, reinstating the play and ordering its inclusion in the national lineup.
The play was marred by fresh controversy on Wednesday when Malala was blocked from accessing Kirobon Girls.
CJ Koome said what transpired on Thursday raises grave concerns about the extent to which those orders of the High Court were respected and complied with.
“It is a foundational principle of our constitutional democracy that all persons and institutions – including State organs, State officers, and public officials — are bound by and must obey court orders.”
“Defiance of court orders not only undermines the authority of the courts but also poses a serious threat to the rule of law, which is the bedrock of our society,” the CJ said.
Even more troubling are reports of the use of force and violence against school-going children in the course of these events, she added.
She said such actions raise serious constitutional questions about respect for the dignity, rights, and welfare of children, who enjoy special protection under the Constitution, the Children Act, and international human rights instruments.
She made it clear to all state organs, state officers and public officers that respect for court orders is not optional.
“It is a constitutional imperative that safeguards our collective commitment to the rule of law, and constitutionalism. Any deviation from this path erodes public confidence in our institutions and poses a danger to our democracy.”
“I therefore condemn today’s events as they deviate from path of the rule of law and constitutional duty to protect the rights of all — especially our children – in every sphere,” she said.
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