Remembering Ruganda’s The Burdens

          In East Africa, none has dominated the literary landscape (theatre) with such immense passion, reverence, and admiration than the late Ugandan playwright-poet John Ruganda. Maybe only Francis Imbuga (God bless his soul) of the celebrated Betrayal in the City would outshine the thespian who gave us The Burdens, The Floods, Shreds of Tenderness, Echoes of Silence plus other equally insightful pieces depicting the rot and hopelessness of post-independent African countries. 

            John Ruganda would have turned 72 on 30^th May this year had he not succumbed on December 2007. His passing plunged East Africa into a regional mourning leaving a huge literary gap particularly in theatre with minimal efforts being made by emerging thespians to publish their works.  

            The Burdens was published in 1972 – a year after fellow countryman, Africa’s Hitler –Idi Amin Dada overthrew the government of Milton Obote in a bloody coup that would later live a trail of destruction – more than 100,000 lives lost. But can we learn from The Burdens? Yes.

            Ruganda tackles varying thematic concerns ranging from graft, hopelessness, abuse of power, domestic feuds, helplessness, unemployment, and repercussions of neo-colonialism among others. The greed of our MPs, for instance, is candidly exemplified by Vincent Kanagonago whom Wamala, a character in The Burdens wonders “What bleating business does he want with politics? Should content himself counting grey hairs on his head (29).” But Old Vincent is not done with tricks to ascend to power and mock his fellow citizens as noted by the rapacious zeal of Kenyan legislators. “Anyway, before we adjust ourselves to this shattering news, old Vincent is busy making promises (30).” Is this not what our current MPs did before and after clinching the nomination tickets that later propelled them to power thus blackmailing the entire country? Are these not the burdens foreseen by Ruganda more than four decades ago?

            Another dimension of burden is in the hopelessness of the masses currently witnessed in areas around the country rife with insecurity. These also include the IDPs who have continued to remain in camps – forever forgotten- despite the concerted efforts by the AU to pull out of the ICC terming it a ‘race-hunting’ court. Tinka, Wamala’s wife is at pains to explain to her inquisitive son, Kaija. She quips in solemnity: “You’ll will understand when you grow up. Time tires the poor internally (12).” In essence, the playwright echoes the questions the young ones of IDPs constantly ask why they are ever living in poor tents and the children in Mandera and Garissa wondering why people kill one another in broad daylight in their midst and if at all it can be stopped.  

            The burdens of rising unemployment in the post-independent African states are compounded by the need to have “A contact in the chain-link ladder (55).” In the present Kenya, it is in the form of nepotism or tribalism. If your relative or tribesman is in a better place the better. Academic papers will come thereafter. ‘You must know people’ in the job market to make it.

            However, all is not lost. Despite the play ending in a tragedy, Africa and Kenya specifically has its eyes on the sky. Young people are reducing the burden of being job-seekers to job creators. Technology is revolutionizing the world in incredible ways making things easier and flexible. Think of Kenyans on Twitter (KOT), online companies or just ignoring politics of the day. As Tinka advise her kids: “We have to learn doing things we don’t want to do (78).” Maybe, thereafter, Africa shall rise! Maybe.