The Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, Dennis Itumbi, has pushed back against a Daily Nation report suggesting that a school play by Moi High School, dubbed Mbiruri, was banned over the mention of Singapore, dismissing the claim as misleading and inaccurate.
Taking to his X account, Itumbi clarified that the play in question was never banned, but simply failed to qualify for the national stage of the Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival.
According to him, the production followed the standard competition pathway, progressing from Sub-County to County level before finishing fourth at the Regional stage.
He noted that only the top plays from each region typically advance to the nationals, placing the Mbiruri entry outside the qualifying bracket.
“Sometimes newsrooms embarrass journalism,” Itumbi remarked, accusing the publication of twisting facts in pursuit of a sensational headline.
He further questioned whether the media outlet had reviewed the winning plays from the Eastern region, describing them as strong and deserving entries.
In his view, the focus on the Mbiruri play amounted to politicizing school theatre, something he cautioned against.
“Not every story is a scandal. Do not twist facts just to chase a headline,” he said, maintaining that the reporting had exaggerated the situation.
Itumbi reiterated that the Mbiruri play did not secure a top position even at the County level, noting that it finished second before ultimately placing fourth at Regionals—well outside the automatic qualification positions for nationals.
