How characters show what ails governance in ‘Betrayal in the City’

Among the themes that Francis Imbuga addressed in Betrayal in the City is the fight for justice.

After independence, Kafira experiences dictatorship and oppression but some citizens were ready to fight the injustices meted against them by the government.

University students demonstrate against the many expatriates who continue to dominate in the country at the expense of citizens who remain unemployed after fighting for independence.

However, Adika, the student leader who organises the demonstrations, is gunned down. He, together with the other students, were trying to express their dissatisfaction with the way the leader was running the country but this struggle costs him his life and his death leaves his parents devastated. His brother Jusper becomes mentally disturbed.

After Adika’s death, Jusper continues to fight for justice and swears to avenge Adika’s and his parents’ death. He, together with other students, demand that Adika’s portraits be printed in the press as a sign of honouring his death. He also kills Chagaga, who he claims was behind his brother’s death.

This puts him in trouble and he is imprisoned only to be released after both his parents are killed in cold blood.

Mosese, a university lecturer, is another citizen who fights for justice. During Adika’s funeral, he speaks his mind against the injustices. This lands him in prison after he is accused of possessing opium, which was planted in his car by Nicodemo, a government official.

Jere, a police officer, quits his job after he realises the injustice and oppression against the people and empathises with them. He decides to be on their side. He tries to convince Mulili to allow Adika’s parents to continue with the ceremony of honouring their fallen son but this, like all those who try to fight for justice, lands him in jail.

A sample Question.

‘What goes round comes around.’ Write an essay to show the validity of this statement using the character of Mulili in Betrayal in the City, for illustrations.

Answer

Mulili is one of the characters who uses his position in the government to oppress, intimidate and even eliminate those who cross his path. In the end, he gets a dose of his own medicine.

He denies the old couple the right to conduct a shaving ceremony after their son was brutally killed during a demo. When they insist on the ceremony the two are eliminated at his behest and he later brags to Boss about it.

As a member of the committee organising for the entertainment of the visiting head of State, he attends a meeting during which Kabito differs with him on many issues.

Mulili tells him that he will pay dearly for it and he makes good his threat when he goes to Boss and tells him many lies about how Kabito was defaming him. Boss tells him to eliminate Kabito.

All he had done to the people comes back to him during the rehearsal for the entertainment play. Mosese, Jere and Jusper take advantage of Tumbo’s ignorance to stage a coup d’etat. The props are not ready and Boss suggests that they use real guns to avoid wasting time.

Jusper seizes the gun from Boss and aims it at Mulili, who tries to defend himself by saying that boss is the one who is responsible for all the ills in the country and he is only a distance cousin of his. Mulili pays for all his sins with his life.

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The writer is a teacher. [email protected]