Muturi Decries Govt Actions Against Butere Girls During Drama Festival.
Former Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi has come out strongly against the police harassment of Butere Girls High School students at the National Drama Festival held in Nakuru. He described the incident, where police tear-gassed the students, as a deplorable attack on innocent young individuals expressing their artistic talents.
Muturi criticised the government’s reaction, asserting that it revealed fear of truth expressed through art. He questioned what threat a group of schoolgirls in uniform could possibly pose to a powerful state, suggesting the performance’s message may have unsettled the authorities. According to him, if the truth conveyed by a high school play evokes such a harsh response, then the leadership must evaluate what it is trying to suppress.
Muturi noted that the events in Nakuru signified a distressing and shameful moment in the nation’s history. He emphasised that a democracy should never be shaken by students performing a play and expressed concern over the government’s inability to handle such situations. He added that when a regime fears young performers, it reflects a deeper issue within its governance and values.
He stated that the actions taken by the authorities were unjustifiable and symbolic of a broader issue of repression. The response, he argued, indicated a reluctance by the government to embrace free expression, especially when that expression is channelled through the creative arts by young citizens.
Support for Youth and Creative Freedom
Highlighting the role of youth in nation-building, Muturi stressed that young people represent the heart and future of the country and should not be silenced or repressed. He insisted that their creativity must be encouraged, not crushed by fear-driven actions. For him, denying students the space to express themselves artistically contradicts the values of democracy and freedom.
Muturi warned that a state incapable of accepting the message of a student performance is unqualified to claim adherence to democratic principles. He observed that silencing young voices through force betrays the constitutional freedoms the country purports to uphold.
Read Also: Govt Alleges Butere Girls’ ‘Echoes of War’ Play Script Was Altered Before National Stage
He further condemned the government’s role, asserting that its primary duty is to protect and support its children—not to intimidate them or suppress their voices with violence. Muturi reminded the regime that it was entrusted with the responsibility of creating a nurturing environment where young talents can prosper.
He concluded by expressing disappointment that such actions were carried out by a government that houses a ministry dedicated to sports, the arts, and the creative economy. According to Muturi, this only deepens the shame of the incident, as it directly contradicts the ministry’s purpose and the ideals it is meant to promote.
Muturi Decries Govt Actions Against Butere Girls During Drama Festival.
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