Kenya, April 10 -- Butere Girls stepped onto the stage, sang the national anthem, stood silently for a full minute, and then exited without performing.
Chants of "No Butere No Drama" and "Ruto Must Go". The public cheers in support of Butere Girls students as they leave the Drama Festivals without performing the play Echoes of War.
In a powerful act of defiance, students from Butere Girls High School took to the stage at Melvin Jones Hall this morning, only to deliver a silent protest instead of their much-anticipated play, Echoes of War.
The troupe, caught in a days-long standoff with authorities, sang the Kenyan national anthem, observed a minute of solemn silence, and then walked off without performing, leaving the 63rd Kenya National Drama and Film Festival in an uproar.
With journalists, other students, and the public locked out by police, only the Butere Girls had been permitted inside the empty hall.
Rather than staging the controversial play penned by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, the students used their time in the spotlight to make a statement, exiting to cheers and chants from supporters gathered outside.
As the troupe emerged from Melvin Jones Hall, a crowd of onlookers erupted into chants of "No Butere, No Drama" and "Ruto Must Go", signalling solidarity with the students and frustration with the government's handling of the situation.
The public's vocal support underscored the play's resonance with broader discontent, particularly over its themes of governance and youth activism inspired by the 2024 Gen Z protests.
"They didn't perform, but they spoke louder than words," said one supporter, a Nakuru resident who joined the crowd outside. "This is bigger than a play now-it's about our voices."
The walkout marks a stunning conclusion to a week of escalating tensions, which included a court battle to reinstate the play, police barring rehearsals, and injuries to journalists covering the saga.
Netizens took to social media with #ButereGirls and #EchoesOfWar trending as users praised the students' courage. "They turned silence into a roar," one post read. "Ruto's police can't stop this energy."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.