Betrayal in the City is a play set in Kafira, a newly independent African state. In the first act, we find Doga and Nina visiting their son’s grave. Adika, who was a university student, was gunned down during a protest, and the wound of loss is still very fresh for his parents. But even as they are planning a shaving ceremony, an important burial rite that might bring them some closure, they are deterred by government officials in the interest of “peace.”
Adika’s murder is a turning point for many of Kafira’s residents including his brother, Jusper Wendo, and his lecturer, Mosese wa Tonga. For Jusper, losing Adika in this needless manner sparks a desire for revenge within him, and for Mosese, it enrages and emboldens him speak out against suppression by the government.
Through the experiences of the book’s characters, we catch a glimpse into the lives of the everyday people who bear the brunt of repressive leadership. What happens when oppressed citizens find their voices – the ones that have been silenced for too long? Betrayal in the City showcases the turmoil and disillusionment that exists in such a nation.
Francis Imbuga does a wonderful job of sharing varied perspectives on the belief of what is right. It was easy for me to decipher the motivations of different characters in doing what they do, and the series of events that have led them to making these choices. I might not agree with some of their reactions to the situations in which they find themselves, but I was able to empathize with them and cheer them on. The characters are well fleshed out – with the exception of Boss, Kafira’s tyrant. Being the central antagonist in the story, it would have been interesting to have insight into his greed-fueled motives.
I was introduced to this political play when I was in high school. It was one of the set books we were to read, and I’ve found myself revisiting it time and time again. First published in 1976, this work of fiction established Imbuga as a brilliant Kenyan playwright. It became the first entry of the Kafira trilogy that was followed by Man of Kafira in 1984, and The Green Cross of Kafira which was published posthumously in 2013. This play speaks to the importance of freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and how violation of this right ultimately leads to volatility.
Cheruto is a storyteller and a part of Paukwa’s content team. She is a voracious reader who enjoys figuring out the ways in which the stories she reads translate in her environment.