KING OF DOUBLE-SPEAK! Murkomen Changes Tune On The Butere Girls’ Play Dispute
Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, has taken an inconsistent stance on school theatrical censorship.
Murkomen’s current words on the Butere Girls’ High School play scandal contrast sharply with his opinions from more than a decade ago.
Murkomen, then a recently elected senator from Elgeyo-Marakwet, was outspoken in his opposition to the Shackles of Doom play censorship.
Former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala wrote and directed the play for Butere Girls, which was barred from the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival.
“I wish the much-publicised ‘Shackles of Doom’ was staged here at State House Mombasa,” Murkomen stated on his X account on two separate occasions in 2013.
Cleophas Malala, scriptwriter of "Echoes of War," speaks after release insists the play will be performed by adults showcased to the public.
— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) April 10, 2025
Video By Julius Chepkwony. pic.twitter.com/xC0eTGIyTk
“What was wrong with the Butere Girls’ Shackles of Doom? They have enjoyed the best advertisement and they should reap from it.”
Fast forward to 2025, and Murkomen’s opinion appears to have evolved considerably in response to another scandal involving the Butere Girls and the play Echoes of War, which was also directed by Malala.
The show provoked national outrage as students were refused a suitable stage setup.
In addition, they were hounded by police officers prior to their scheduled performance at the ongoing Kenya Schools and Colleges National Drama and Music Festival in Nakuru.
Murkomen spoke to the media on Thursday, April 10, 2025, and defended the government’s actions, portraying the issue as one of safeguarding minors from political exploitation.
“We are mandated to safeguard the freedom of expression for all Kenyans, and we would not want insecurity to be pushed into the wellbeing of our children,” he stated.
“We also should allow our children to be educated in all forms, but we have the responsibility as government and parents to ensure that they are not at the centre of politics,” he added.
Does Kipchumba Murkomen remember this post or should we remind him? https://t.co/juxldSXFR5 pic.twitter.com/3mA2d1fxu1
— BRAVIN YURI (@BravinYuri) April 10, 2025
Murkomen’s comment appeared to be a shot at Malala, who recently fell out with the government after being removed as UDA Secretary General.
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Murkomen added: “It has come to a point that a politician is now the headteacher directing students on drama and using them to politically get back at the government.”
The CS advised politicians to refrain from influencing educational content, arguing that teachers are better qualified to select appropriate content for children and speak the correct words when criticizing the government.
“I want to urge us politicians to leave schools for teachers. Teachers know the boundaries when engaging the learners,” he stated.
“They know the right language while criticising the government, and they are the only ones to direct our children on morals.”
KING OF DOUBLE-SPEAK! Murkomen Changes Tune On The Butere Girls’ Play Dispute
