NAIROBI, Kenya – Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has reignited his criticism of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), accusing the agency of failing in its duties following the controversy surrounding the Butere Girls play, ‘Echoes of War’.
Speaking at the Mwai Kibaki Memorial Lecture on April 11, 2025, Gachagua took aim at the intelligence service for its delayed response to the play, which became a flashpoint for national debate.
In his remarks, Gachagua argued that if the NIS had been functioning efficiently, it would have flagged concerns about the play much earlier, preventing the drama from escalating.
“They only noticed about the play in the finals in Nakuru because of a failed intelligence system. If a decision needed to be made that the play was bad and people should not see it, it could have been stopped at the initial stages,” he claimed.
The controversy surrounding ‘Echoes of War’, which was set to be staged by Butere Girls High School during the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in Nakuru, has dominated headlines in recent days.
The play, written by former UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala, has been at the center of a national debate, with accusations of political interference in student affairs and concerns over the content of the performance.
The drama was initially met with enthusiasm, but tensions rose when the play’s potential political undertones led to its withdrawal from the festival, with security agencies getting involved.
The arrest of Malala further fueled the controversy, with the school expressing frustration over the ordeal.
Gachagua, who has been increasingly vocal about his dissatisfaction with the NIS, has previously accused NIS Director General Noordin Haji of incompetence.
He referenced the 2024 Gen Z protests, during which several lives were lost, as evidence of the intelligence service’s failure to prevent violence.
His latest comments suggest that the former Deputy President believes the NIS’s shortcomings are a persistent issue that requires urgent attention.
In the wake of the Butere Girls controversy, the government has expressed concerns about the involvement of politicians in student activities, particularly regarding the writing of plays by figures such as Malala.
