High Court Orders Butere Girls to Recall Drama Students for National Festivals

High Court Orders Butere Girls to Recall Drama Students for National Festivals

The High Court has mandated Butere Girls High School Principal Jennipher Omondi to bring back 50 drama students and ensure their participation in the National Drama Festivals, which are scheduled to take place from April 7 to April 15, 2025, in Nakuru County.

This order comes after the principal reportedly sent the students home following a call from State House.

Recently, the play “Echoes of War” was removed from the Western Regional winners’ gala, and the drama club was instructed to send its members home by Monday, effectively halting their preparations for the National Drama Festival in Nakuru.

Despite achieving victory at the Butere Sub-County level and placing third at the Western Regional Drama Festivals, the school was excluded from the festival lineup and replaced by Vihiga High School, which had ranked eighth regionally.

The decision to exclude “Echoes of War” led to legal action initiated by Anifa Mango, a former student and dedicated actress from Kisii County.

Mango’s petition stated, “That the Honourable Court issue an order requiring the Respondent to retain in school and/or recall all 50 students participating in drama festivals for their involvement in the National Drama Festivals scheduled for April 7 to April 15, 2025, in Nakuru County.”

Advocate Kennedy Echesa, representing Mango, contended that the principal’s actions were arbitrary, unconstitutional, and infringed upon the students’ rights to freedom of speech, expression, and fair administrative action.

Echesa emphasized, “No legal authority, including State House or the Ministry of Education, has the power to prevent the play, especially after it was approved by professional adjudicators at various competition levels.”

He further urged the court, “Unless this Honourable Court intervenes and addresses this matter urgently, the Respondent will unlawfully exclude the 50 students of Butere Girls High School from performing at the Drama Festival, an opportunity they rightfully earned through their dedication and hard work.”

This is not the first instance of Butere Girls facing restrictions on its artistic expression.

In 2013, the Ministry of Education initially prohibited the school’s play “Shackles of Doom” from participating in the National Drama Festival, claiming it portrayed imaginary inequality and could incite public unrest. However, the late Justice David Majanja intervened, allowing the students to perform and establishing a precedent for artistic freedom in school drama festivals.

Justice Fridah Okwany has now instructed both the petitioner and Principal Omondi to appear before her tomorrow for further guidance on the issue.