Gideon Moi Condemns Attempted Arrest of Malala, Slams State Over Censorship of High School Play
This incident is not isolated but a growing pattern of silencing dissent through extrajudicial means, Moi says.
KANU Chairman Gideon Moi has strongly condemned the attempted arrest of former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, terming it a blatant act of state repression and a threat to artistic freedom.
Malala was reportedly targeted by security officers in Rongai, Nakuru County, ahead of Butere Girls High School’s performance of Echoes of War at the 2025 National Drama and Film Festival.
The play, authored by Malala, is a bold satire highlighting the collapse of social services, patronage politics, and broken promises.
It had earlier been banned from progressing to the national level before a court ruling overturned the decision.
Moi likened the move to the 2013 censorship of Shackles of Doom, another play written by Malala and performed by the same school.
"This incident is not isolated but a growing pattern of silencing dissent through extrajudicial means," Moi said, referencing other recent cases of political intimidation.
He criticized the government for allegedly turning a blind eye to violence by groups aligned to the state, while cracking down on peaceful expression.
Moi urged the government to realign its focus on development in key sectors like healthcare, education, and manufacturing, saying this would better address public frustrations and economic hardship.
“The young girls of Butere are not enemies of the state but the daughters of this nation,” he emphasized. “Rather than be punished for speaking the truth through art, they should be celebrated.”
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