LEO KATIKA FASIHI

                          TAFTA KITABU HIKI USOME

        

Leo nakuletea kitabu hiki,ni tamthiliya (A PLAY),Imeandikwa na Mtaalam wa fasihi ambae ni mwandishi pia ni muigizaji kutoka nchini Kenya Bw.Francis Imbuga.Kitabu hiki kimetolewa kwa mara ya kwanza mwaka 1976 EAST AFRICAN PUBLISHERS.Kiliweza pia kuwa chaguo la Kenya kwenye maonesho ya sanaa za Mtu Mweusi huko Lagos-Nigeria(Black Arts Festival 1977) Kikiwa pamoja na "The Trial of Dedan Kimathi" kilichoandikwa na Ngugi Wa Thiong`o na Micere Githae Mugo.

A SIMPLE ANALYSIS OF THE PLAY

Analyst-Onala Okoth Paul 

Kapenguria;Kenya

Betrayal in the city by Francis Imbuga is a play that tells us what happened and what is happening in most third world countries. Politics is the main theme where after African countries getting independence replace the leadership with African leaders who are dictatorial and careless in the way they lead.
The Play starts when Doga and Nina are about to do a final ritual at the grave of their murdered son Adika. Jusper the brother of Adika is not there and thus his parents are worried as to where he disappeared to and also that someone had tried to interfere with the grave.
Before long, Jere and Mulili arrives with the order from the government to stop the ritual from taking place. It's here that we now know that truly Jusper in in the jail . The ceremony saga brings conflict between the two soldiers Jere and Mulili with Mulili determined to enforce the government order while Jere supports the ritual to go on. In the process of the tussle realized when Jere points a pistol to Mulili and Mulili says , " you will pay for this". We also get to know from the dialogue that once Mulili released Mustafa who was once a prisoner.
Later on we get to know of the death of one Chagaga having killed by Jusper as a revenge to the murder of Adika and that explains why Jusper is in the cells.
As Mulili said Jere is also put inside for going against the government order. The cells are used by kafira government to silence the critics of the state . Mosese a lecturer is among those imprisoned because of "morning in public ". Regina the sister to Mosese tries to get assistance of the release of her brother from the jail. She gets Tumbo to assist her. By now jumper is out of cells and he is with Regina at her house when Tumbo enters. Tumbo tells Jusper that students are just but wasting their time in questioning the government and that more expatriates will be employed. Jusper is sent for beer as Regina and Tumbo are left in the house. Regina later on tells Tumbo not to take his "cousin" seriously. At this juncture is when Tumbo is told by Regina that Jusper can write plays. The "competition" to choose the winning play to be done during the state visit of a foreign head of state is done and Jusper play emerges the best. Jusper and Regina are given a third of the money and Tumbo takes two thirds.
Meanwhile Mosese who had employed silence in his fight changes tact and embraces active participation in the fight against the government. Therefore he is enlisted to act before a visiting head of state. During the play within a play is when the coup occurs and one Mulili the rubberstamp of corruption in Kafira is killed and the Boss the leader of Kafira is left.

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