1. Introduction to the Text

• Title: Betrayal in the City
• Author: Francis Imbuga (Kenya)
• Genre: Play (Drama)
• First Published: 1976
• Setting: A fictional African country (Kafira) that resembles many post-independence African states.

Context

The play reflects political and social issues in many African countries after independence, especially dictatorship, corruption, oppression, and the fight for freedom. It captures how citizens become victims of their own leaders.

2. Plot Overview

The play begins with the death of a university student, Adika, who is shot during a demonstration against foreign domination. His death sparks tension. His brother, Jusper, struggles emotionally and becomes central to the unfolding drama.

The government under Boss (the dictatorial president) rules with fear, suppressing dissent, arresting intellectuals and critics like Mosese, and silencing voices of truth. The state machinery, represented by Mulili (Boss’s cousin and sycophant), enforces injustice.

The climax comes when Jusper, Regina, and others, through a play within a play, confront Boss. Jusper assassinates him, symbolizing the people’s demand for change.

3. Major Characters

• Boss: The dictatorial president of Kafira. Self-centered, corrupt, and repressive.
• Mulili: Boss’s cousin, a sycophant who betrays others for his gain. He represents opportunism.
• Jusper Wendo: Brother to Adika, a student killed by police. He is both a victim and agent of change.
• Adika: A university student killed during a demonstration. His death symbolizes sacrifice for truth.
• Regina: Jusper’s girlfriend and daughter of Asyst, brave and supportive.
• Mosese: An intellectual wrongly imprisoned, representing truth and reason.
• Jere: A prison guard who sympathizes with victims and represents conscience within the system.
• Nina and Doga: Adika and Jusper’s parents, mourning the betrayal of their son.

4. Themes

1. Corruption and Greed – Leaders use their positions for selfish gain (Boss and Mulili).
2. Oppression and Injustice – Intellectuals like Mosese are imprisoned without fair trial.
3. Betrayal – Mulili betrays friends, family, and even his own country for power.
4. Sacrifice and Martyrdom – Adika and others give their lives for truth and justice.
5. Abuse of Power / Dictatorship – Boss suppresses freedom of expression and silences criticism.
6. Resistance and the Struggle for Freedom – Jusper, Mosese, Regina, and Jere symbolize the resilience of the oppressed.
7. Generational Conflict – Old vs. young: the youth want change while the old are tied to tradition.

5. Style and Techniques

• Satire and Irony – Exposes the absurdity of corruption and dictatorship.
• Symbolism:
  • Adika’s death = sacrifice for justice.
  • Mulili = betrayal and sycophancy.
  • The prison = oppression and lack of freedom.
• Play within a play – Used as a dramatic device where truth is finally revealed.
• Imagery and Figurative Language – Creates strong emotional impact.

6. Relevance to Uganda and Africa

• Many African countries faced similar post-independence challenges (dictatorship, corruption, suppression of intellectuals).
• Encourages learners to reflect on the dangers of poor leadership and the importance of justice and accountability.
• Promotes critical thinking about governance, civic responsibility, and social justice.

7. Sample UCE Examination-Style Questions

(a) Theme-Based Questions

1. Discuss the theme of betrayal in Francis Imbuga’s Betrayal in the City.
2. How does Imbuga portray the effects of corruption in the play?
3. What role does the theme of oppression and resistance play in the development of the plot?

(b) Character-Based Questions

1. Assess the character of Mulili in the play.
2. In what ways does Jusper Wendo contribute to the development of the play’s message?
3. How is Boss a representation of dictatorship in Africa?

(c) General Appreciation

1. How is the title Betrayal in the City relevant to the play?
2. Discuss the significance of the play within a play in Imbuga’s work.
3. Show how the play reflects the challenges faced by many African nations after independence.

8. Teaching and Learning Activities

• Class Reading & Role Play: Students read aloud different parts to understand characterization.
• Group Discussions: Debates on whether Jusper’s actions were justified.
• Comparative Analysis: Relating events in the play to real African political history.
• Creative Writing: Students write a short skit showing “betrayal” in a school/community setting.
• Critical Thinking Questions: “What alternative paths could citizens take to fight injustice without violence?”

Betrayal in the City – Scene-by-Scene Summary, Quotes & Analysis

Scene 1 – Doga and Nina’s Home (Funeral Preparations for Adika)

Summary

• Doga and Nina (Adika’s parents) are preparing a shaving ceremony after the death of their son Adika, a university student killed during a demonstration.
• Jusper (Adika’s brother) is mentally unstable due to grief.
• Mulili, Boss’s cousin, arrives with Jere (a prison officer) to stop the ceremony, citing government orders.
• Jere sympathizes with the parents but Mulili insists the ceremony is illegal.

Key Quotes

• “It was better while we waited. Now the body is here and the truth is here with us.” (Nina – shows grief and confrontation with reality).
• “The government has said no ceremony.” (Mulili – symbol of state oppression).
• “What business do you have stopping old people from burying their son?” (Jere – represents conscience and humanity).

Analysis

• Introduces the theme of betrayal (Mulili betrays his own people).
• Shows oppression (government interfering with tradition).
• Reveals generational conflict (youth like Adika resist injustice, elders cling to culture).
• Sets tone of grief, injustice, and resistance that runs through the play.

Scene 2 – Jusper’s Home / Streets

Summary

• Jusper is in a disturbed state after his brother’s death.
• We learn he killed a foreigner (a white man) out of frustration.
• Regina (his girlfriend) consoles him and encourages him to stay strong.

Key Quotes

• “I killed him because he was white… because he was not Adika.” (Jusper – shows psychological breakdown and the bitterness of youth).
• “Courage Jusper, courage. We need you alive.” (Regina – symbol of support and hope).

Analysis

• Theme of violence and frustration – Jusper acts irrationally due to oppression.
• Psychological impact of dictatorship – grief drives Jusper insane.
• Regina symbolizes love, loyalty, and resilience of women in times of political struggle.

Scene 3 – Prison (Mosese and Jere)

Summary

• Mosese, a university lecturer, is imprisoned on false charges (possession of drugs) after criticizing the government.
• Jere (the prison officer) sympathizes with him.
• The unfair legal system is exposed.

Key Quotes

• “When the madness of the entire nation disturbs a solitary mind, it is not enough to say the man is mad.” (Mosese – one of the most important quotes, highlighting truth vs oppression).
• “They planted the evidence themselves!” (Mosese – reveals injustice).

Analysis

• Introduces theme of injustice – intellectuals are silenced.
• Shows hypocrisy of the legal system under dictatorship.
• Mosese is a voice of truth and reason, a martyr-like character.

Scene 4 – Boss’s Office / Palace

Summary

• Boss is introduced, surrounded by sycophants like Mulili.
• He is paranoid and fearful of criticism.
• Plans are made for a state play to entertain visiting dignitaries.

Key Quotes

• “This country is mine. Anyone who tries to take it will meet his death.” (Boss – shows dictatorship and selfishness).
• “Everything here is done because Boss wants it.” (Mulili – sycophancy and corruption).

Analysis

• Shows dictatorship, power abuse, and fear.
• Mulili is a symbol of corruption, betrayal, and greed.
• Boss is a caricature of post-independence African dictators.

Scene 5 – University / Streets (Play within a Play Preparation

Summary

• A play is to be performed before Boss and dignitaries.
• The prisoners (including Jusper and Mosese) are forced to act in it.
• The play becomes a tool of resistance.

Key Quotes

• “A play is a mirror of society.” (Jusper – foreshadows truth being revealed).

Analysis

• Introduces the “play within a play” device – a powerful dramatic technique.
• Symbolizes literature as resistance – truth can be revealed through art.
• Theme of freedom of expression vs censorship.

Final Scene – The Performance and Assassination

Summary

• The play is staged before Boss and officials.
• Through the performance, hidden truths about dictatorship are exposed.
• Jusper, while acting, seizes the moment and assassinates Boss.
• The play ends with uncertainty – a symbol of new beginnings or chaos.

Key Quotes

• “The visitor will be entertained, but the people will be freed.” (Jusper – climax of resistance).
• Gunshots… confusion… Boss falls dead. (Stage direction – dramatic end of dictatorship).

Analysis

• Symbolic victory of truth over dictatorship.
• Shows the power of art and resistance.
• Leaves audience questioning: Is violent change justified?
• Reinforces the play’s title – betrayal has led to collapse of the city/nation.

Examiner’s Close-Reading Notes

UNEB expects candidates to:

1. Quote directly from the text to support arguments.
2. Show context + theme + character + technique in answers.
3. Relate events in the play to real-life African political situations.
4. Demonstrate awareness of literary devices (symbolism, irony, play within a play).
5. Analyze characters not just by description but by their role in theme development.