Muzzled on stage, Echoes of War finds new life online

Butere girls students protest at Melvin Jones in Nakuru during the 63rd edition of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival on April 10,2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

While the play, Echoes of War, never lived to see the stage at the Melvin Jones School in Nakuru, its message has reverberated far beyond the 63rd National Drama and Film Festival, thanks to digital renditions that have surfaced online.

The play has sparked widespread public interest after an initial ban, a court reinstatement, and a subsequent boycott by Butere Girls High School students. Its themes—reportedly unsettling to some in government—have become the subject of national debate.