Gachagua and Malala
Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has condemned the arrest of former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala over the Echoes of War school play.
In a statement on Wednesday, April 9, Gachagua said the use of the criminal justice system to suppress creativity and social audit has reached alarming proportions.
“The use of the criminal justice system to suppress creativity and social audit has reached alarming proportions. It is a shame of unimaginable proportion that dozens of DCI detectives in five vehicles have been dispatched to arrest and intimidate Senator Cleophas Malala for writing a script that has won its way to the National Drama festival in Nakuru,” said Gachagua.
The former DP defended the play, arguing that it poses no real threat and should be viewed as a legitimate form of expression.
“The satirical play – Echoes of War – that strongly captures the lying culture of this administration, is innocent in itself in the literary universe, just to explain to those who feel threatened. In any case, the detectives will harass the messager, but the message remains; this action only creates more awareness of the literary piece and the message,” Gachagua added.
Echoes of War, which has earned a spot at the National Drama Festival in Nakuru, is now at the center of a political storm.
Malala, who wrote the play, was earlier blocked from accessing the students of Butere Girls High School.
He was intercepted outside the school as he attempted to join the students for final rehearsals ahead of their performance.
“I will not be intimidated, I will write what I want; nobody can censure me. Tell President William Ruto he will not censure me; if he is the one who has given these instructions, it won’t be possible. I’ll do what the court has instructed me,” said Malala.
Butere Girls had been banned from staging the Gen Z-themed play on the grounds that its theme critiques the government.
However, the High Court lifted the ban on April 3, allowing the school to perform the play in the Drama Festivals.
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