An emotional cloud hung over Butere Girls High School as 35 students returned from Nakuru county under a tight police convoy after a harrowing experience during the National Drama and Film Festival. Bishop Rose Okeno of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Diocese of Butere welcomes students from Nakuru.In a video shared online, the school bus was captured sandwiched between two government vehicles as it snaked into the school compound. At the back, the bus was guarded by a police van with armed officers on standby for anything until it got into the school.
The students had traveled to Nakuru to perform their powerful piece titled Echoes of War, a bold production that has stirred national conversation. But their trip quickly turned into an emotional rollercoaster after they were allegedly intimidated by police, forcing them to walk off stage moments after singing the national anthem. How were the Butere Girls’ students welcomed? Upon their arrival, the girls were welcomed at the ACK St Luke’s Cathedral in Butere by Bishop Rose Okeno of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Diocese of Butere. The church, which sponsors the school, held a heartfelt thanksgiving service to pray for healing, peace, and strength for the visibly shaken students. During her sermon, Bishop Okeno drew a parallel between the biblical story of Joseph and the experience of the Butere students.
Bishop Rose Okeno leads Butere Girls students in prayer. She reminded the girls who looked shaken by the ordeal that even in the face of injustice, God’s purpose will prevail. She also called on the public, media, and government officials to handle the situation with care and compassion, noting the national anxiety the incident had stirred. “Everybody involved in this, whoever speaks about this should be mindful to cause calmness. Anybody who is speaking in this matter needs to be mindful of the lives of these girls. They have a long way to go. We need to be mindful of them to build their future instead of destroying them,” she urged.
While the girls are now safely back at school, the church is committed to offering spiritual and psychological support as part of their healing journey. “We pray that God will cause healing in their hearts because we have observed that they are so hurt. They are actually traumatised. They are crying. You know, when you look on each face, you know they are crying. They are so devastated. We pray that God, in His mercy, will cause healing. As a church, we are prepared to take them through counseling,” Bishop Okeno said after the service.
by Didacus Malowa
