Politician and playwright Cleophas Malala has come out strongly to deny allegations that he tampered with the script of Echoes of War, a school play that was set to be performed by Butere Girls High School at the Kenya National Drama Festivals last week.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday night, Malala dismissed the accusations as “dishonest and insincere,” pointing out that the script had gone through multiple levels of official vetting without objection.
“The script was reviewed and approved at every stage—sub-county, county, and regional—by adjudicators appointed by the Ministry of Education,” Malala stated. “It’s dishonest to now suggest the script was altered when it was not only cleared but praised.”
He clarified that Echoes of War was inspired by the Gen-Z-led anti-tax protests that rocked the country in June 2024, and not any personal or political agenda.
“I began conceptualizing the play right after the Gen Z demonstrations,” he said. “My work reflects what’s happening in society. I don’t use theatre as a political tool.”
Responding to claims of last-minute script changes, Malala explained that any adjustments made were minimal and based purely on feedback from the adjudicators to improve clarity for student performers.
“I gave the cast a finalized script with only minor tweaks for performance clarity,” he said. “We had nine ministry-appointed adjudicators who all signed off on it. So, when exactly did it become a problem?”
Malala also revealed that his legal team is pursuing compensation for the affected students and is lobbying for the play to be staged publicly to give the cast the closure they deserve.
