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ROLE OF THE KITCHEN CABINET

BETRAYAL IN THE CITY_ READERS QUESTIONS

Explain how the kitchen cabinet is responsible for the government of kafira. Drawing your illustrations from Francis Imbugas play betrayal in the city.
A kitchen cabinet is a group of advisors who closely monitor things and report them to the person in authority. In most cases, the Kitchen cabinet is made up of trusted men and women who besides the normal cabinet of the president, are the watchdogs and policy advisors to the sitting head of state. However, in Africa, the kitchen cabinet is made up of the closest associates of the reigning leader who are either, kinsmen or women or business partners. In essence, they use the power the head of state has to make a lot of money and steal from the public coffer. They enjoy the privileges of state hence trample upon the common mwanainchi because of state immunity. In so doing they lead to the reign of terror where people under questionable circumstances but there is no one to account for the deaths. In Betrayal in the City, there are several people who die but instead of the state investigating the murders, it protects the murderers, for example, the death of Adika, Kabito, Nina and Doga.
In Betrayal in the City, such leaders are Mulili, Nicodemo, Kabito and Tumbo. Despite their lack of knowledge in their respective fields, Tumbo and Mulili display power that is unheard of. First and foremost, Mulili knowing he has Boss protection, refuses to allow Nina and Doga a chance to perform the hair shaving ceremony. He even goes further to betray his friend to boss. Furthermore, he feeds boss wrongful information regarding Kabito leading to Boss giving the approval of Kabito’s assassination.
The kitchen cabinet can make or destroy policy. During Adika’s burial, Mosese is said to have said certain things that were provocative and maybe against Boss’ regime. Instead of being advised to change some of the policies in the interest of Kafira, with the help of Nicodemo, Mosese is incarcerated.
These guys were supposed to offer alternative solutions or maybe give Boss a clear vision and a different angle to offer more sound leadership. However, in their presence, Kafira is doomed with people like Mulili and Tumbo thinking about how to enrich themselves. Instead of Tumbo being vigilant with the playwriting process, he turns out to be complacent giving way for the coup that happens within the play to become real hence ending Boss’ regime.
It should be noted that prisoners were allowed to act in the play. Prisoners like Jere and Mosese were political prisoners and Jusper was an ex-convict and a radical like Mosese and Jere. This, if anyone was observant, was typical from the frying pan into the fire. Therefore in their complacency and incompetence, they led to the end of Boss regime. Some would argue that removing Boss out of power was the best thing for Kafira. It should be remembered that coups are not that good, with them comes a period of uncertainty and war as those who support the incumbent try to oust the new leader out of power. The civil strife that follows is catastrophic not only to the economy but also to the social structures leading to the reality of Mosese’s words, “It was better while we waited. Now we have nothing to look forward to…(pg28)

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