The Lingering Question of Neocolonialism in Selected Swahili Plays

Abstract

This paper examines how the question of neocolonialism has been addressed by Kiswahili writers by focusing on some selected plays by Timothy Arege and K.W. Wamitila. The paper’s main objective is to identify how the theme of neocolonialism is treated in the works of selected authors The findings of this study shows that neocolonialism has been perpetuated through cultural imperialism, economic dependency, the roles of International Organizations such as United Nations and its agencies and the tensions that exists between capitalism and socialism. The study shows that Western Countries have contributed a lot to underdevelopment in African countries through exploitation of Africa’s natural resources. International Trade has also been identified as being biased in favour of the developed nations. The study was guided by the postcolonial theory; whose main proposition is that Oriental and African countries have historically borne the brunt of colonialism and continue to suffer from its mutant forms.