King Kamaliza

King Kamaliza is a story that delves into the African psyche laying bare the minds of African leaders and the reasons why democracy and development are elusive in Africa. It is a captivating play that analyzes traditional African concepts of governance in relation to modern democratic ideas.
King Kamaliza has just overthrown the government and made himself king. Fetching ancient African ideas, he comes to believe that people are given their positions in life by God even before they are born.

Kamaliza: “Yes. I must have been born to be a King. Do you know, when I was born; a huge cloud of white smoke flew out the roof of my mother’s house? My mother asked a diviner what it meant — not that she believed him, mark you, not that she believed in diviners — but the diviner told her that the smoke was a sign that a king had been born. Oh, yes. I was actually born a king! That is why I was nicknamed Musumbi, the King. You see, it was the same with Jesus. The Holy Book tells us that his birth was heralded with many miracles. Even a star was seen ascending in the east... In my case, in the case of King Kamaliza, a cloud of smoke was seen rising up from my mother’s house! My mother called me Kamaliza, the one who finishes all. But I wasn’t just that, I was the king.

How does a man who believes that leaders are chosen by God handle modern democracy when he becomes President? And how does he reconcile that with the fact that he had come to power by violently overthrowing the predecessor’s government? How does he handle it when others plan to overthrow him? These are some of the key questions that make King Kamaliza a hilarious comedy, if only tragic.