Introduction
Being born and raised in a developing country has exposed me to disillusioning life challenges, because those in government prioritize self-interests at the expense of the welfare of the masses. Through the literature by Francis Imbuga, ‘the Betrayal in the city’, I am able to relate the my day-to-day life experiences with how politics negatively affect the life I am entitled to be living in a just society. Some challenges we encounter by being the citizens of this country include high poverty levels, corruption among the top-level government agencies as well as discrimination of the poor by those with immense economic resources. The suffering I go through when withstanding the challenges of poor governance in my country get aggravated when I read Francis Imbuga’s book, because it reminds me of what we are deprived of as a nation.
While growing up, I have been through many political regimes of government. The nation claims to practice a democratic type of elections and leadership. I have seen and listened to dishonest politicians, who make promises during the campaign seasons but fulfill none once they have been elected and to office. To me, this is the highest level of betrayal. In literature, Imbuga has as well demonstrated such type of betrayal as the Boss not being concerned with the welfare of the people, for instance “ weeping is illegal for the academic staff” (Imbuga, 1987, p.25). As soon as these leaders are elected, they focus on personal welfare and maintain minimal touch with the needs of the electorates. During election periods, these leaders’ promise of not abandoning us is a common saying, which never materializes in reality.
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After my high college graduation, I moved from one office to the other looking for employment in futility. This is not because I did not have the required skills for various job specifications; but due to the fact that I did not have relatives in those offices. As Imbuga explains, obtaining an opportunity is all about whom you know or how much you can bribe to secure the opportunity. Corruption is a vice that gradually gnaws at the society, leading to suffering among the citizens. Abbigole (2014), in his poem ‘our corrupt society’, says “ wealth does not come from what is in your bank account, but the wealth bestowed to other people by compassion.” This statement shows the need for a leader to be selfless and consider the needs of the people they are meant to serve.
I have been overwhelmed by fear over the past few years. This is due to the absence of any of my relatives in any of the government positions, yet I have disturbing issues to raise that touch on our people’s welfare. This is because when we become outspoken our views are either ignored or we risk being oppressed based upon on our divergent views. Demoralization upon our views limits the development of the country as people may be having great ideas that are not always considered. In the literature, one of the officials says, “let’s drop the formalities until Mulili arrives” (Imbuga, 1987, p.53). This supports my fear to express my views in these failed government systems, because I do not have a personal relationship with the government.
Whenever I look at the character traits of the politicians, people whom I grew up looking up to, I sometimes lose hope in becoming a leader. My desire was to grow up, attend school and afterward vie for a leadership position and be able to help the society. However, since I gained sense and started understanding how some leaders take the opportunity of their positions, I totally lost interest. Disillusionment happens to the majority of us. In Imbuga’s literature, Tumbo says, “we have no choice, like caged animals, we move but only inside a cage” (Imbunga, 1987, p.62). This portrays how hopeless one may be, when living in a country that is controlled by jungle rules. I have lost my dream of growing up to be an efficient leader as one people with alternative views as compared to those of the government face torture and persecution.
I have experienced the challenge of conflict since childhood, mainly the conflict of interest as well as physical interest. I am a person with a hot-tempered person; hence, whenever one wrongs me, the feeling of fighting back develops. I never want people to see me as being weak or to take advantage of me another time. In the literature, Jere and Mulili start an argument, and when Jere feels overpowered, he shoots at Mulili to calm the situation (Imbuga, 1987, p.15). Despite the situation being illegal, it directly relates to me as I am always ready to protect myself when faced with diverse challenges.
Conclusion
In the literature ‘Betrayal in the city’, Imbuga brings out aspects that relate to my day-to-day life experiences. He uses characters to explain how the various individuals behave to against the ethical expectations of a just society. From the illustrations of literature and individual reflection, the society in most developing countries faces major administrative challenges, characterized by the quest for selfish interests and gluttony for misuse of public resources.
References
Abbigole (2014). Our corrupt society. Poetry genome . https://www.powerpoetry.org/poems/our-corrupt-society
Imbuga, F., D. (1987). Betrayal in the City: A play . Nairobi: Heinemann Kenya.
