Cowardice usually condemns people to doom.

“In order to fight for your rights as a society, bravery is key. Cowardice usually condemns people to doom.” Validate this statement with reference to Francis Imbuga’s Betrayal in the city.

So many ills are propagated in the current society simply because a majority of people have chosen to be silent and do nothing about the problems facing them. The perpetrations of such ills are left to go Scot free. If the likes of Doga, Adika, Nina, Jusper, Jere and Mosese are absent in any society, the people either die poor, by the sword or as oppressed subjects of a selfish regime.

 The beggars in the streets at one time wonder why Jusper is wasting his time fighting for their rights. They think that silence is the cure for their misery. They have allowed selfish leaders to go Scot free after committing evil. This makes the cycle of poverty to continue.

Also Regina constantly reminds her boyfriend Jusper, to abstain from talking negatively about the leadership of Kafira. She feels that Jusper and those others protesting against the government are wasting time and that no good will come out of their struggle with the government. She feels that they are fighting stones. Regina at the end fails to achieve much.

Freedom of expression is curtailed. Jere says “the outside of this cell may be the inside of another’. Askari also warns Mosese and Jere about their “hot mouths”. He advises them to choose silence instead. They choose to defy him and eventually succeed by actively involving themselves in ousting the oppressive regime.

Tumbo, too, does not see the need for Jusper agitation and constant protest from the university. He believes the tokens he gets can substitute his freedoms and rights. He is humiliated. He does not read through the written play Jusper submitted and out of his inefficiency, it turns out to be an avenue for the prisoners to eliminate Mulili and expose Boss.

The publishers reject writers who write the truth too plainly like Jusper. Jusper writes the entertainment play, which leads to the palace coup.

 Indeed, bravery is a virtue, cowardice is a vice. When people arise and project their voices against oppression, then the world will be a better place.