Nakuru — Controversy marred the Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Film Festival on Thursday after members of the public and journalists were blocked from accessing the festival venue at Kirobon Girls High School, where Butere Girls High School was scheduled to perform its highly anticipated play Echoes of War.
The play, which delves into themes of governance and the 2024 Gen Z-led protests, has drawn considerable attention and scrutiny.
On Day 4 of the festival, fresh restrictions were introduced, including a blanket ban on photography, video recording, and live streaming of performances--halting coverage that had been ongoing since the festival began.
"There will be no audience, no video, no photography, and no shooting at all," a source involved in covering the event told Citizen Digital. "Even KICD won't stream it live. All cameras, including those for local production partners, have been barred."
Echoes of War was initially disqualified from the Western Region Drama Festivals under unclear circumstances, but a High Court ruling later overturned the decision and ordered its inclusion in the national festival lineup.
The play was scheduled for performance at 6:15 PM, but delays saw the students access the venue around 7:30 p.m.
Scriptwriter and former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, who penned the production, was blocked from entering the school for final rehearsals on Wednesday.
By Wednesday evening, he claimed police had surrounded his vehicle and threatened him with arrest.
At around 9 PM, officers lobbed teargas canisters to disperse journalists who had camped outside the school gate to cover the unfolding standoff.
- Police Shame -
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The Nakuru Journalists Association (NJA) condemned the police assault on journalists, describing the attack as an unlawful assault on press freedom, and demanded an immediate investigation.
Teargas canisters were lobbed directly at the reporters, putting their lives at risk and serving as an attempt to intimidate the press.
Among those affected were Maryanne Nyambura (Citizen TV), Peter Kimani (KTN), Robert Maina (Inooro TV), Joseph Kipsang, Kennedy Gachuhi (Standard Group), and Evans Asiba (Citizen TV).
"This reckless action endangered lives and was a clear attempt to intimidate the press," said Joseph Openda, Chairperson of the NJA. "Such continued harassment is a dangerous trend and poses a serious threat to press freedom."
Despite earlier promises from the Inspector General that journalists would be protected while on duty, the police in Nakuru dragged the name of the National Police Service through the mud after shamelessly lobbing tear gas at six journalists unprovoked and in full view of the public.
