A section of leaders allied to President William Ruto have come out to vehemently condemn former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala over the controversial ‘Echoes of War’ play that has since become subject of controversy.

Led by South Mugirango Member of Parliament (MP) Silvanus Osoro, the leaders accused Malala of politicizing school programs. 

The MP who spoke during a session in Parliament on Thursday, April 10, 2025, reiterated the importance of balancing between freedom of expression and discipline in schools. He also dismissed the play stating that it does not have any rightful word for praise, condemning the excerpts in it.

“Looking at the excerpts which is purported to be the drama by Butere Girls, it has nothing close to technology, the chance that you hear the small girls in school citing, is ‘Kasongo must go’, another chance you will hear them say ‘we want our rights’, while we condemn if indeed its true that the students were chased out of the cvompound, we condemn that.

“While we condemn any mistreatment of students, we must also speak as parents. We risk nurturing a generation that resists redirection, even when they are wrong,” he said.

He also told off the parents for lauding Malala for the script, downplaying his (Malala’s) efforts over his lack of papers.  

“Why are parents clapping that a politician wrote a script for their students, yet his papers are questionable?’ he posed.

His sentiments were echoed by his Eldas counterpart Adan Kenyan who fingered Malala accusing him of politicizing school activities. 

He also claimed that the Butere Girls students were victims of political theatrics, wondering why politicians were involved in students’ co-curricular activities. 

“The Butere Girls students have become victims of political theatrics. How did the school permit Malala to take part in a talent promotion event meant for students?” he posed. 

Kenyan went on to state that Malala’s interference was destroying the integrity of educational institutions. The MP also demanded that the former senator is held accountable. 

“We are destroying the social-political fabric of our country through petty, partisan politics. Individuals must be held accountable.” 

Nominated MP Donya Dorice also backed the two MPs, insisting that drama teachers should create scripts and not politicians. 

“Drama teachers should create scripts, not politicians. What message are we sending when leaders hijack such platforms?” She asked.

Butere MP Tindi Mwale also spoke on the matter condemning the Interior Ministry, he also called for accountability over the teargassing of the students. 

This comes even as a section of MPs allied to former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua condemned the government for allowing officers to discharge teargas canisters at minors.

Led by Githunguri MP Gathoni Wa Muchomba, the leaders described the incident as an appalling act of state brutality and called for immediate action against those involved. 

She went on to state that unleashing teargas on minors for expressing their artistic truth is an unforgivable violation of rights.  

“We vehemently condemn the reprehensible use of teargas on students from Butere Girls’ High School during a drama festivals, this is an appalling act of state brutality, and a direct assault on the values of democracy that we have fought for many years and human dignity. 

“To unleash chemicals on innocent school girls for simply expressing artistic truth is an unforgivable violation of rights and a fraud to freedom of expression in this country,” Wamuchomba said. 

While emphasizing that the incident is an act of repression and an attack on the country’s moral integrity, the MP explained that the police attack on the minors is a violation of their rights as minors. 

“This attack occurred while the students were performing a politically charged piece rightfully so as a right of their expression on their conscience and engagement of civic issues happening in this country; instead of fostering an environment for dialogue they were met with violence causing panic, distress and among this remember these are vulnerable members of our society because they are minors,” the legislator added. 

Butere incident

Butere Girls stormed out of Melvin Jones International School in Nakuru—the venue of this year’s Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Music Festival- declaring that their decision to exit the stage without performing was not sudden. 

Expressing their frustration, the agitated students noted that their conclusive decision was due to the series of frustrations in the moments leading up to the performance. 

They also decried police harassment and added that they had been denied proper stage set up, sound systems, decor and support. 

“We were harassed by the police. We went to the stage with nothing — no sound, no decor, nothing. So we sang the National Anthem and left,” one of the students said. 

As the frustrations grew bigger and the patience to endure grew thinner, the students began demanding the whereabouts of Malala, their play director, before leaving the stage and venue.

“We want our director. We are not performing without our director. Where is Mr. Cleophas? We want him. We are not going back to Butere,” the students declared.

As they were leaving, police lobbed teargas canisters at them, creating chaos and disruption at the venue.