Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala has raised alarm over the alleged disappearance of 15 students from Butere Girls High School, who are part of the cast of the now-controversial play Echoes of War.
Speaking to the press outside Eldama Ravine Police Station following his release on Thursday morning, Malala demanded immediate accountability from the police.
“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 stated.
Malala, who authored the politically charged play, was reportedly picked up by police around midnight on Wednesday. He condemned what he termed as excessive force, after officers allegedly fired tear gas at students housed at Kirobon Girls High School in Nakuru on Wednesday night.
“The officers should stop using excessive force on our students. They are patriotic and have done no wrong,” he said.
As tensions escalated, journalists and members of the public were on Thursday morning barred from accessing Kirobon Girls, where the National Drama Festival is currently underway. The Butere Girls cast, scheduled to perform Echoes of War at 8 AM, declined to proceed after being denied access to the festival’s public address system. Instead, the girls stood on stage, sang the National Anthem before exiting.
The play, which confronts themes of governance, corruption, and the 2024 youth-led anti-government protests, has faced fierce resistance from authorities. It had earlier been disqualified during the Western Region Drama Festivals under questionable circumstances before a High Court ruling reinstated it and ordered its inclusion in the national lineup.
