Cleophas Malala, a well-known politician and playwright, has firmly denied claims that he altered the screenplay for the play Echoes of War. The play was set to be performed by Butere Girls High School at the recent Kenya National Drama Festivals but was reportedly barred from being staged.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday night, Malala dismissed the accusations, calling them insincere and misleading. He explained that the play had gone through several levels of vetting and approval, starting from the sub-county level all the way to the regional competitions, without facing any objections.
He emphasized that at every stage, adjudicators appointed by the Ministry of Education reviewed the script and gave it a green light. According to Malala, the suggestion that the script was changed after passing all these levels is not only dishonest but also unfair to the students who had worked so hard.
He maintained that if there were any slight adjustments, they were only done in line with recommendations from the adjudicators to make the performance clearer and better for the students.
Malala explained that such revisions are normal in drama and are part of the improvement process, not evidence of wrongdoing. He said his main aim was to deliver a complete script with only the necessary changes to help the students shine on stage.
Malala also shared that the inspiration behind Echoes of War came from the Gen-Z-led anti-tax protests that took place in June 2024. He said the play is not politically motivated, but rather, a reflection of real events happening in society.
He added that his work as a playwright is driven by social experiences and issues, not by politics or personal opinions.
According to him, he started working on the concept right after the demonstrations because he felt that the youth’s message deserved to be told through art. He underlined that plays are meant to open up conversations on what people go through, and Echoes of War was simply that.
He also said that his legal team is now working to get justice for the Butere Girls students, including possible compensation and a chance to perform the play before a live audience. He believes that the girls should be allowed to present their hard work to the public, as a way of getting closure after everything they have faced.
Malala argued that the cast deserves the chance to showcase their talent after all the time and effort they put into preparing for the festivals.
Malala further criticized the Ministry of Education for saying that only teachers should be involved in co-curricular activities like drama training. He said that such a position limits the involvement of professionals from the creative industry, many of whom are not teachers by profession.
He pointed out that most people with experience in arts and drama are not registered teachers, and expecting otherwise is not practical. According to him, this policy from the Ministry is harmful to creativity and blocks the growth of young talent in schools.
