What we believed was the complete history of our country as taught in our early years has recently been shown to be biased. This realization fosters pride in our country, and experiencing it through art multiple times this year has been significant, such as Kaggia.
Unlike their previous action-packed productions, Nairobi Performing Arts Studio presented a more introspective piece that was well-paced to foster engagement. Kaggia follows the life of freedom fighter and revered politician Bildad Kaggia, driven by a recounting of past events before 1975 by Kaggia and his wife, Wambui Kaggia.
From his early years in Lokitang to his days managing a Posho Mill in Muranga, Kaggia provides a detailed account of heartfelt moments with his family and the cost they paid for his brave efforts for the nation.
Martin Kigondu delivers a powerful performance as Kaggia, portraying different timelines through flawless body and vocal execution. Foi Wambui and Gadwill Odhiambo’s portrayals as two writers leading a ‘Kaggia’ screenplay add a modern touch to the piece with relatable humor and serve as mirrors to every young patriot and the passion burning inside them.
The play depicts a man who offered all his life to his nation but who became a victim of betrayal by compatriots and a new African leadership too preoccupied with sleaze, squandering a lifetime opportunity to change the lives of the people they led.” George Orido, The (Kenya) Standard.
The above sentiments encapsulate much of the play’s tone, the melancholy that sets in when thinking of how his ideologies would have changed the country if only his compatriots had considered those who put them in those positions.
Kaggia also explores the man’s personality that would have been seen as unique in that time, told in detail by his wife, Wambui Kaggia. His stance against violence toward women, his confidence in his principles, these and more traits are what made Wambui stand by her decision to marry Kaggia despite her father’s violent refusal.
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