Itumbi issues apology to Butere Girls School, vows corrective action
Itumbi also expressed his sorrow over the missed opportunity for the girls to perform their Echoes of War play at the national level, an opportunity they had been eagerly working towards.
A week after students from Butere Girls High School were tear-gassed during the National Drama Festivals in Nakuru, the government has issued a formal apology.
During an appearance on Citizen TV on Wednesday night, Dennis Itumbi, who leads the Creative Economy and Presidential Special Projects, extended an apology to the students on behalf of the government.
He expressed regret not only for the use of tear gas against the students but also for failing to leverage his position to ensure the school’s play was seen through to completion.
"Let me take this opportunity with the full sleeves and honours of the government to apologise to all the girls of Butere Girls for the teargas that was meted out on them. I sincerely apologise," Itumbi stated.
"I apologize on behalf of the government, as I represent a sector focused on the creative economy. Our regret goes beyond the use of teargas; we also acknowledge that the situation was not handled properly from start to finish. I assure you that I will meet with my team to discuss possible solutions and corrective actions."
Itumbi also expressed his sorrow over the missed opportunity for the girls to perform their Echoes of War play at the national level, an opportunity they had been eagerly working towards.
In the interview, Itumbi reiterated his deep appreciation for the arts, noting that, as a playwright himself, he believes the girls should have been allowed to present their play.
He attributed the teargas incident to an overzealous response from the security personnel.
He also denied allegations that the drama patrons and the school principal were being punished, labeling those claims as mere social media rumors.