Parents and residents of Butere Girls High School in Kakamega County are now demanding accountability from the government after the school’s students were reportedly humiliated and barred from performing their play, ‘Echoes of Wars, at the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in Nakuru County.

The learners, who had travelled from Kakamega after the High Court overturned the Ministry of Education’s ban on their play, were denied access to the festival venue and held in seclusion under tight security for several hours with parents urging President William Ruto to intervene and call to order injustice being meted against the learners and safeguard democracy.

Speaking to The Standard, the parents led by Gladys Maende said what happened to the girls since yesterday is demoralising, scary and unfair because of the safety of their children.

“It was heartbreaking. My daughter called me, crying. They were taken to the venue and treated like they had committed a crime. She was scared because it was her first time witnessing chaos, violence and a heavy presence. The play is not worth those children’s lives, but where did freedom go? It’s not even funny because a life can be lost,” she said.

A worried Florence Achieng, a parent from Khwisero, said she couldn’t sleep because she feared that something might happen to the girls.

“Is this how we reward talent and courage? As a woman, I can’t sleep watching our people being frustrated in another county. Imagine how far those kids are. What if they get injured? I urge President Ruto, if he has a hand in it, to kindly step back,” said Achieng.

Achieng said she was shocked how the law wasn’t obeyed and the presence of heavy police deployment just to guard a play, yet there are places where insecurity is high.

“The playwright obtained a court order directing that the girls be allowed to perform at the national level and that he be allowed to direct his play on stage. This is shameful and must stop. How can over 50 police officers be deployed for a play? Where is this country heading? What message are we passing to the young generations?” she lamented.

Vincent Wamalwa also expressed his frustration, saying he was unhappy with how the girls were asked to remain inside their buses and were not allowed to interact with other participants to the extent that they were instructed to leave the premises.

“We are shocked that a valid court order could be ignored so blatantly. These girls had done nothing wrong. They poured their hearts into that play, only to be treated like pariahs, and suddenly, Malala was arrested. People are now on the streets in Nakuru, and this young generation is watching keenly, and they shouldn’t be ignored,” he added.

He said that the girls will return home demoralised and emotionally drained if not allowed to participate in the festival.

“They were humiliated. They were under constant watch as if they were a security threat. These are children. They didn’t deserve this. This sends a bad message to students across the country that even when the law is on your side, you can still be silenced,” he said.

Parents now want the Ministry of Education and the festival organizers to issue a public apology and take responsibility for the ordeal.

“These girls were representing their school, their county, and the region. They deserved support, not intimidation. We want answers, and we want justice,” said another parent.

Some artists who spoke to The Standard condemned the harassment of the younger girls, urging the playwright to consider the Stage Play Act in coming up with any play, at the same time calling on the government to use the right procedure of censoring any play that is deemed immoral.

“It was traumatizing for the younger learners especially throwing teargas at them because some may give up while for others it will be their turning point in realising their talent, we want our young upcoming artists to exploit their full potential in recognizing their talents and henceforth as a source of income,” said Professor Eshuya, former lead actor at Mushamba show.

He added, “My call to my fellow playwrights is that they should consider the stage play act when coming up with any play because artists are the mirror of society, and we bring out what we see happening in our community, but we should do it in the right way and under specified laws. However, the government should also use the right procedure in censoring any content material that is perceived as immoral or going against prescribed regulations.”