Mayai – Waziri wa Maradhi, yaani kitisho kinachosimulia siasa

Abstract

The analysis of Euphrase Kezilahabi’s horror short story Mayai – Waziri wa Maradhi (“Mayai –Minister of Disease) can to a great extent shed light on its author’s opinions on Tanzanian politics and how he expresses them in his literary work. A large part of the political content of this text cannot be appreciated without considering the element of horror per se, as a feature that is not only stylistic. This paper aims to analyze such work as an example of the horror story genre, employing specific tools of interpretation which can enlighten the way in which the uncanny dimension affects and generates content. Although there are numerous allegories in Kezilahabi’s short story, my critique also aims to show how such literary elements can be analyzed and explained by looking at them per se, instead of reading them only as symbols of the external elements they receive their sense from, as it is the case for allegory.

Hadithi ya kitisho ya Euphrase Kezilahabi Mayai – Waziri wa Maradhi inachukua nafasi kubwa katika kuonesha mtazamo wa mwandishi huyo wa siasa ya Tanzania na anavyoizungumzia katika kazi zake za kifasihi. Sehemu kubwa ya maudhui ya kisiasa ya matini hiyo haiwezi kuibuliwa ila kwa kuzingatia kipengele cha kitisho chenyewe, kipengele kisicho cha kifani au cha kimtindo tu. Hivyo, lengo la makala hii ni kuchambua kazi hiyo kama mfano wa matini ya kitisho, kwa kutumia mbinu za uhakiki maalum zenye kuonesha maudhui yanayoletwa na kipengele hicho. Katika hadithi hii mna istiara nyingi, lakini uchambuzi huu unalenga pia kuonesha kwamba vipengele vya kazi ya kifasihi vinaweza kuchambuliwa na kupata maana kwa kuchukuliwa vyenyewe ndani ya matini. Kwa hivyo, matini yenyewe haitazingatiwa kama kiwakilishi cha yaliyomo katika muktadha yake, jinsi ilivyo hutakiwa katika uhakiki wa kiistiara.