The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) has added its voice to the incident that students of Butere Girls faced at the ongoing National Drama Festivals in Nakuru.

In a statement sent on Thursday, April 10, 2025, the party, through its Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, faulted the government for engaging in acts that contravene the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed in the constitution.

ODM registered its concerns after teargas were lobbed at students as they left the scene of venue of the music and drama festival.

“The country has watched with disbelief, the unfolding drama at the National Drama festival in Nakuru where the government has seemingly run scared of a play by Butere Girls, titled “Echoes of War”. Of all the evidence we already have of the lack of focus of this regime, it has shot itself in the foot by harassing and attempting to dim the voices of young girls in school uniform,” part of the statement read.

While drawing parallels to a South African movie, Sarafina, where young children took a stand against a discriminatory apartheid regime, the party maintained that the voices of children matter in the ultimate national conversation, emphasizing the need to also accord the young ones a listening ear.

“Serious questions arise when a government is scared of children’s art, a mere expression of talent in a high school festival. We wish to condemn in the strongest terms possible the mistreatment of Butere Girls High School, journalists, and other festivalgoers and join other Kenyans in demanding that the authorities allow the young artists to stage their play like all else.”

In its parting shot, the Orange party aligned with Kenyans who came out to condemn the incident, stating that Kenyans should be free to exercise the freedoms enshrined in the country’s constitution.

“We reiterate that the freedom of expression guaranteed by our constitution allows people of all ages to express themselves freely even if we do not particularly like what they have to say,” the presser concluded.

In a mounting condemnation of the act, former Chief Justice David Maraga also condemned the violent scenes encountered by Butere Girls’ students.

“I condemn, in the strongest terms possible, the actions by the police and persons in authority that sanctioned and condoned the recent acts on students of Butere Girls High School at the annual Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Film Festival in connection with their school play ‘Echoes of War’.

“The use of force against minors—children who were engaging in a peaceful, creative, and educational activity—is not only unconscionable but also unconstitutional and therefore totally unacceptable. It is a flagrant violation of the Constitution,” Maraga said in a statement on X posted on Thursday, April 10, 2025.