Butere Girls High school principal compelled to Recall back Drama students and to facilitate their participation in the National Drama festival

From official Facebook page (Cleophas Malalah)

The High Court has this morning issued orders compelling the Principal Butere Girls High School to recall 50 drama students and facilitate their participation in the National Drama festivals scheduled to start on 7th April 2025 in Nakuru county.

Chief Principal Jennipher Omondi released drama students to go home stating that she had received a call from State House that the play ECHOES OF WAR which highlights the plight of young generations across the globe should not be allowed to participate in the National drama festivals and that it would embarass the First Lady Rachael Ruto who is an old girl of the Institution. This is despite the fact that the Play emerged the best at Butere Sub County level, Best during Kakamega County schools drama festivals and the best during the Western region drama festivals thus earning the first position to represent the region in Nakuru. The school, which was earlier scheduled to perform in Nakuru before the anonymous call from State house has since been replaced by the little known Vihiga high school which was ranked low at position 8 during the Regional drama festivals.

Anifa Mango, a thespian and an old girl of the school from Kisii county is the petitioner .

Acting for the Petitioner, Advocate Ken Echesa moved the court arguing that the decision by Mrs Omondi was arbitrary, illegal, Unconstitutional and in violation of freedom of speech, expression and fair administrative action. Echesa argued that the Principal could not act on imaginary directives from State House and that the school is bigger than an individual. He further says both State house and the Ministry of Education had the illegal power to stop the play right from Sub county, county and Regional competition and that since Adjudicators of good professional standing had okayed it, there is nothing the government would do but allow the learners to exercise their right to artistic creativity.

In 2013, it took the hand of the Late Justice David Majanja to have Butere Girls perform their hard hitting play Shackles of Doom orchestrated by the kakamega county former Senator Cleophas Malalah after the Ministry of Education stopped the girls from performing it at national level arguing that it depicted imaginary inequality in the country hence bordering incitement.

Justice Fridah Okwany has ordered the Petitioner and the Principal to appear before her tomorrow for further directions.

Follow us on social media. Facebook group and page (education hotspot news updates). WhatsApp channel (education hotspot news). X( education hotspot news updates). Get hilarious stories on education trends across the country.