Amnesty demands probe into Butere Girls mistreatment

Amnesty International Kenya has condemned police actions during the attempted performance of Echoes of War by students from Butere Girls High School in Nakuru.

Earlier, police officers reportedly assaulted journalists and lobbed tear gas as they tried to cover the play at the annual Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Film Festival.

In a statement, the rights group's director, Irungu Houghton, condemned the incident and called for an immediate end to the harassment, intimidation, and censorship directed at the students and creatives behind the play.

“By targeting a school play performed by children, the state is criminalizing creativity and turning cultural spaces into zones of fear and censorship. This brazen attack undermines children’s right to participate in society through art, a right enshrined in both Kenyan law and international human rights standards,” stated Houghton.

It also criticised the government's actions, emphasising that children's rights should never be subject to negotiation.

“We call on the state to reverse any attempts to prohibit such performances now or in the future. Silence is not safety—children must be free to speak, perform, and imagine a different world without the threat of state violence.”

The rights group urged the policing oversight authority to launch investigations into the incident and demanded government to uphold and protect the right of all children to participate in cultural life without fear of censorship, intimidation, or violence.

“We further urge the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to initiate prompt and transparent investigations into the conduct of all police officers and their commanding officers involved in these incidents, with a view to holding them accountable for violating the policing code of conduct and the Constitution,” he added.

Former Chief Justice David Maraga also condemned the incident, criticising the use of force against minors.

“No child should be punished or endangered for thinking critically, speaking boldly, or performing creatively. Silencing students through force and fear is a direct assault on their constitutional rights,” said Maraga, calling for justice to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.