School drama festival guidelines divide leaders

Buruburu Girls perform a Cultural dance, Yaw ne Yoh, at the 2025 Kenya National Drama and Film Festival (KNDFF) in Nakuru. [PHOTO: HANDOUT]

A fresh row has emerged over new regulations governing school drama and film festivals, with leaders divided on whether the guidelines protect learners or suppress artistic freedom.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Kenya) secretary general Francis Atwoli has backed the revised 2026 Kenya National Drama and Film Festival Performance Guidelines, saying they are necessary to shield students from political manipulation.

In a statement, Atwoli said the union had taken note of concerns raised by its members over the alleged misuse of children by political actors through school performances.

“As COTU, we wish to express our support for the government's decision to regulate the content of plays and performances presented by learners,” he said.

He maintained that while creative arts remain an important platform for nurturing talent and self-expression, schools should not be turned into spaces for advancing political agendas.

“The introduction of clear guidelines to curb political messaging, propaganda, and the ridicule of public institutions within school performances is both timely and necessary,” Atwoli said.

He warned that the growing trend of politically themed plays risks exposing learners to manipulation and exploitation, adding that such practices could undermine the core role of schools as centres of learning.

“We are firmly opposed to the growing trend where learners are drawn into politically charged narratives, often crafted and driven by external actors,” he said.

Atwoli also raised concerns about the impact of such content on learners’ well-being, saying some performances in recent years have adopted themes that are “divisive, deceptive and disruptive”.

He called on teachers, parents and festival organisers to support the implementation of the new rules.

However, the position has been challenged by NARC Kenya leader Martha Karua, who questioned the intent behind the regulations, terming them a threat to artistic freedom.

In a post on X, Karua argued that the arts have historically served as a mirror to society and should not be restricted when they highlight uncomfortable truths.

“The arts have always been Kenya's mirror. When that mirror makes the powerful uncomfortable, the answer is not to break it,” she said.

Karua questioned why students should be barred from engaging with political themes, noting that such issues directly affect their lives and future.

“Why tell students not to speak about politics when it directly affects their lives and futures? Mnaogopa nini, exactly?” she posed.

She warned that censorship of school drama could amount to silencing young voices and shielding those in power from accountability.

“Artistic freedom is not a threat to Kenya. However, a government that silences its children is,” Karua said.

The debate has also drawn the Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, who dismissed claims that a controversial school play had been banned, saying the issue had been misrepresented.

“Sometimes newsrooms embarrass journalism. The Mbiruri play was not ‘banned’ over a mention of Singapore, it simply didn’t qualify for nationals,” Itumbi said.

He explained that the play progressed through the early stages of the competition but finished fourth at the regional level, outside the automatic qualification slots.

“It took different qualifying positions from sub-county through county and finished fourth at regionals. That is the reality,” Itumbi said.

He added that the competition had strong entries, arguing that failure to advance should not be politicised.

“It is a competition, some plays just do not win. The Mbiruri play even at county level was second, not the winning play,” he said.

Itumbi also noted that restrictions on political content are not new, insisting they have always been part of the festival guidelines.

“The rule on politics is not new. It has always been in the rulebook. Plays that prioritise a school setting and child-based themes carry the day,” he said.