NAIROBI, Kenya– Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala was arrested in Nakuru County on Wednesday evening as controversy swirls around a school play he authored, titled Echoes of War.
Police intercepted Malala outside Kirobon Girls High School in Rongai, where he had gone to supervise rehearsals ahead of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival.
The play, performed by Butere Girls High School, explores themes of governance, technology, and social justice—issues that have resonated with Kenya’s Gen Z audience.
Set in a fictional nation recovering from civil conflict, it portrays youth as key agents in rebuilding society and questions the influence of digital platforms in modern governance.
Malala was seen in a widely circulated video questioning the officers about the grounds for his arrest. “I cannot be intimidated,” he said. “I will write what I want. I will think the way I want. Nobody can censor me.”
He later claimed that more than 50 officers had been deployed to arrest him, calling the response disproportionate for what he described as a “school play.”
Court Intervention
Echoes of War had previously been disqualified from the Western Regional Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances, prompting a legal battle.
On 3 April, Justice Wilfrida Okwany ordered the school to recall the 50 students involved and permitted their participation in the national festival.
Malala said he was acting in line with this court ruling when he attended the rehearsals.
Journalists Injured
The arrest scene turned chaotic as journalists arrived to cover the unfolding events.
Witnesses reported that police fired tear gas to disperse the media, leaving at least three journalists injured.
The incident has drawn criticism from media rights groups, who say it raises serious questions about press freedom in Kenya.
Government Response
Despite the controversy, Principal Secretary for Basic Education Julius Bitok has assured the public that the performance will go on as planned.
“There were issues raised earlier, but they have been resolved,” he said during the official opening of the 63rd edition of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival.
“I don’t want us to dwell on them—I can assure the public that the play will go on.”
Echoes of a Past Ban
This is not the first time Mr Malala’s work has courted controversy.
In 2013, his play Shackles of Doom, which examined ethnic inequalities in Kenya, was banned before being reinstated by a court ruling.
The latest incident has once again put the spotlight on freedom of expression, the role of the arts in political critique, and the space available for youth to engage in national conversations.
