Leaders, rights groups condemn police over Butere Girls Drama Festival incident

Strong condemnation has followed the teargassing of Butere Girls High School students during the National Drama Festival in Nakuru, with a growing number of leaders and institutions calling out the government for targeting schoolchildren, curbing artistic expression, and violating the Constitution.

Human rights group Amnesty said the incident went beyond police misconduct and exposed a dangerous disregard for children’s rights and freedoms.

“What unfolded was not just a shameful abuse of police authority, but a direct assault on constitutional freedoms,” said Irungu Houghton, Amnesty Kenya’s Executive Director.

"Silence is not safety—children must be free to speak, perform, and imagine a different world without the threat of state violence," he added.

The group also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Cleophas Malala, the playwright behind Echoes of War, who was arrested in connection with the performance.

The National Gender and Equality Commission also weighed in, strongly criticizing the police’s actions.

"Firing canisters at schoolgirls? It’s absolutely outrageous. Teargas is not crowd control—it’s trauma, fear and injustice," the commission said.

They called for urgent investigations and action against those responsible for what they called a shameful attack on schoolchildren.

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), through its Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, said the government had revealed its fear of student voices.

"Serious questions arise when a government is scared of children’s art, a mere expression of talent in a high school festival," he said.

He added, "We join other Kenyans in demanding that the authorities allow the young artists to stage their play like all else."

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka called the events "a national shame" and criticized the silence from key state offices.

"The silence from State House, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Interior is absolutely telling," he said.

"When voices of truth are silenced and art is censored, democracy suffers," Kalonzo stated, adding, "Art is not a crime."

He praised the courage of the Butere Girls students who walked out in protest, calling it a powerful message to the nation.

"Their bravery serves as a national wake-up call. Kenya must remain a country where even the echoes of war are heard — and heeded."

Former Chief Justice David Maraga also issued a strong rebuke, saying what happened was unconstitutional.

"The use of force against minors—children who were engaging in a peaceful, creative, and educational activity—is not only unconscionable but also unconstitutional," he said.

He urged accountability, warning, "The wheels of justice, though they grind slowly, will surely give us the country we deserve."

The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) joined the growing list of voices demanding justice, through its president Faith Odhiambo.

"There is no legitimacy that can be claimed by an administration that attacks its children," she said.

"We can never be onlookers as our children are maimed for participating in extra-curricular activities that have historically nurtured our best talents," she added.

DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa, who was in Nakuru at the time, alleged that the students were deliberately prevented from performing and eventually forced to boycott the event.

"The police have now started teargassing the crowds that have gathered, insisting that without Butere Girls, there will be no drama," he said.

Lawyer Nelson Havi said the events showed a clear pattern of repression in the education sector.

"This administration has crossed the redline. It has interfered with education at all levels," he said, warning that public frustration was growing.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday morning, saw students from Butere Girls teargassed while leaving Kirobon Girls High School, where the festival was being held.

The students were joined by the public and students from other schools in what appeared to be a peaceful walk. Police allegedly lobbed teargas to disperse them.