The echoes of a play whose performance for a national audience aborted on Thursday has captivated the nation and exposed the fissures between the government its critics and the general citizenry, thrusting secondary school students in a complex and unnecessary power-play.

Cleophas Malala’s play echoes the Generation Z-led protests over proposals to hike taxes amid high living costs, widespread corruption and cronyism.

“We write about topical themes. The biggest challenge currently is that the country’s leadership does not want to listen to the younger generation. The leaders are stuck in their past ideologies and refuse to listen to the young people. That is why the nation is constantly tensed,” Malala says.