Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga has come under intense fire from Kenyans online after a tweet questioning politician and playwright Cleophas Malala’s presence in a girls’ dormitory at night sparked a storm of criticism and outrage.
In a now-viral tweet, Chidzuga asked,
“Ndugu Malala ulikuwa unafanya nini katika bweni la wanafunzi wa kike wa umri wa chini ya miaka 18 usiku bila idhini ya wahusika au wazazi?”
Loosely translated:
“Brother Malala, what were you doing in the dormitory of female students under 18 at night without the permission of the relevant authorities or parents?”
The post was quickly picked apart by netizens, who slammed Chidzuga for making what many viewed as baseless, reckless, and inflammatory insinuations without providing any evidence.
Her tweet came in the wake of a highly publicized incident in Nakuru involving Malala during the ongoing National Drama Festivals. Malala, the author of Echoes of War — a play performed by students from Butere Girls High School — had been detained by police under unclear circumstances. The play, which reportedly criticized the government, had earlier been disqualified, drawing accusations of censorship.
The disqualification prompted a dramatic student protest, with the Butere Girls performers refusing to stage the play even after authorities reversed the decision and offered them a second chance. The students stood in solidarity with Malala, insisting they would only perform if he was released.
Malala’s presence at the school and close involvement with the students during the festival raised eyebrows, but many netizens argue that Chidzuga’s framing of the situation was irresponsible and appeared to politicize a sensitive educational setting.
“She’s insinuating something very serious with zero evidence. That’s dangerous and unbecoming of a government official,” one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Others pointed out the timing of her statement, suggesting it was part of a larger effort to deflect attention from the controversy surrounding the censorship of Echoes of War. “Instead of addressing why the government is silencing critical voices, they’re targeting individuals with smear campaigns,” another netizen commented.
Chidzuga has not yet responded to the backlash or clarified her tweet, but the public outcry continues to mount, with some demanding an apology or even her resignation.
Meanwhile, Malala, though briefly detained, was later released, and has yet to respond publicly to the accusations.
As the debate rages on, the incident has reignited broader conversations around freedom of expression, government criticism in the arts, and the protection of students’ voices in Kenya’s cultural and academic spaces.
