Former Makueni Governor Prof. Kivutha Kibwana has strongly condemned the alleged police brutality at Butere Girls High School following an incident involving the students’ drama performance of their powerful play, Echoes of War. The piece was written and directed by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala.
In a strongly worded statement shared on his Facebook page, Kibwana expressed deep outrage over the treatment of the students and their creative team.
“I have watched, with shock and indignation, the teargassing and brutalization of students of Butere Girls,” Kibwana said.
He described the use of force on students as an assault on civil liberties, emphasizing that such actions undermine the values enshrined in the Kenyan Constitution.
“What transpired is not merely disturbing—it is a brazen violation of fundamental human rights and a stain on our national conscience!”
“Such acts of repression have no place in any civil society that claims to be governed by the rule of law. They fly in the face of the Kenyan Constitution and betray the core principles of dignity, justice, and accountability,” Kibwana added.
Kibwana also highlighted the critical importance of protecting freedom of expression, especially among the youth. He stressed that students must be allowed to speak their minds without fear of intimidation or violence.
“Our youth must be allowed to speak, to question, and to express themselves without fear. To silence their voices through violence is not only cowardly, it is a chilling attack on democracy itself.”He went on.
The former governor’s remarks come amid growing public concern over the suppression of artistic expression in schools, particularly following the national attention drawn by Echoes of War and the reaction it provoked.
