Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has strongly condemned the chaos that unfolded in Nakuru during what appeared to be an attempt by security officers to arrest former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala. Gachagua shared his frustration on social media, accusing the government of using the criminal justice system to silence creativity and honest criticism of authority.
He said it was a shame that several DCI detectives, traveling in five different vehicles, were sent to arrest Malala simply because of a play he had written. The play, titled Echoes of War, had earned a place at the National Drama Festival held in Nakuru and was being staged by students from Butere Girls High School.
According to Gachagua, the treatment of Malala is a misuse of government power meant to intimidate those who try to speak out through art. He said Echoes of War is a harmless piece of literature and that the authorities should not feel threatened by it.
He added that sending detectives to arrest Malala only gives the play more publicity and spreads the message further. Gachagua argued that this kind of behavior shows the government’s unwillingness to accept criticism and its fear of accountability.
He said that instead of punishing creative people, the state should encourage them and learn from what they are expressing through their work. Malala had earlier reported that he was arrested by DCI officers while helping students from Butere Girls prepare their performance for the festival.
A video shared online shows Malala in an argument with police outside Kirobon Girls High School, the main venue for the National Drama Festival. Malala pointed out one of the officers as the DCIO of the Nakuru area. The video has since raised more questions about the true intentions behind the move to arrest him.
The play, which carries a Gen Z theme, reportedly critiques the government, which may have caused discomfort among certain state officials. Butere Girls High School was initially banned from presenting the play at the festival. However, on April 3, Justice Wilfrida Okwany overturned the ban, allowing the school to take part in the event.
She ruled that any letter or order stopping the school from performing was to be suspended.
Gachagua has now positioned himself as a defender of free expression, warning that trying to shut down voices like Malala’s only fuels more resistance.
He said the government’s actions were not only unnecessary but also harmful to Kenya’s democratic progress. His remarks have added to the ongoing debate about censorship, state overreach, and the role of the arts in challenging power.
