Malala Dismisses Butere Girls’ Principal’s Allegations Over ‘Echoes of War’ Script Changes.
The controversy surrounding the Echoes of War play by Butere Girls Secondary School intensified after former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, the playwright, was briefly detained. Tensions escalated following events in Nakuru last Thursday, prompting questions about alleged changes to the script and internal school dynamics.
During an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday night, Malala firmly denied the accusations that he significantly altered the script. He explained that only minimal modifications had been made to make it easier for the student cast to grasp and internalize their roles. According to him, past experiences where frequent changes disrupted the girls’ performance had led him to commit to providing a stable, finalized script from the outset.
Malala added that adjudicators appointed by the Ministry of Education had approved the play at every stage—sub-county, county, and regional. He pointed out that the same version performed at regionals had received a 90 percent score from three different adjudicators, questioning how concerns about script alterations suddenly emerged.
In response to a widely circulated letter written by the school’s principal to drama patrons, which suggested the script had been changed, Malala insisted that the principal had no role in scriptwriting. He suggested that she was attempting to deflect responsibility, especially as she approached retirement.
Malala further criticized the principal for addressing the letter to the drama patrons rather than himself as the playwright. He also claimed that the principal only watched the play for the first time during the regional level performance, casting doubt on the credibility of her claims.
Malala also addressed allegations that the play was written as retaliation for his removal from the position of UDA Secretary General. He clarified that work on Echoes of War had begun while he was still holding that office. He emphasized that his writing is not driven by personal vendettas but by events unfolding in society.
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He cited the Gen Z protests of June as one of the inspirations behind the play. Malala described his creative process as being rooted in real-life societal issues, stating that his past works have tackled themes such as doping, HIV/AIDS awareness, and the challenges faced by police officers.
Malala concluded by highlighting his longstanding involvement with Butere Girls, revealing that he had trained the school’s drama team for the past 15 years. Over this period, the students had performed 15 of his 82 plays, showcasing a deep and consistent collaboration between him and the institution.
Malala Dismisses Butere Girls’ Principal’s Allegations Over ‘Echoes of War’ Script Changes.
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