Ministry of Education issues statement over Butere Girls saga
Ministry of Education issues statement over Butere Girls saga
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has refuted claims that the government barred Butere Girls’ High School from performing their play, Echoes of War, at the National Drama Festival.
Speaking on Thursday, April 10, Ogamba clarified that the students were given the opportunity to perform but declined on their own accord.
He said the students’ refusal to perform was not prompted by any government interference but their own decision.
“You are very aware that the students were allowed to perform. But when they came to the stage and after the national anthem, one of them stepped forward and said they are not willing to perform without their director, Cleophas Malala; who is not a teacher or a director at Butere Girls’ High School. So, the students, at their own volition, decided not to participate,” he stated.
Butere Girls’ students refused to perform the play at the ongoing National Drama Festivals at the Melvin Jones Lions Academy in Nakuru following Malala’s arrest on Wednesday, April 9.
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The students who were set to perform the play on Thursday morning, April 10, demanded the presence of Malala before performing.
Additionally, one of the students cited police harassment and a poor stage setup for their play.
“We were harassed by the police, they took us to the stage with nothing. We sang our national anthem and said we are not going to perform,” she said.
This move triggered chants of ‘Ruto Must Go’ from a section of attendees and supporters, who were captured on video escorting the school’s bus from the venue.
Earlier, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura emphasized the government’s commitment to freedom of expression, but cautioned against the politicization of student platforms.
“The Government remains committed to ensuring freedom of expression. Political actors shouldn’t use children to speak on their behalf in order to settle scores,” he added.
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