Smouldering Charcoal by Tiyambe Zeleza

Smouldering Charcoal written by Tiyambe Zeleza forms an inherent part of the post-colonial African literature which specifically focuses on exposing the disillusionment of independence. It raises a question about the dream of integrity and giving a respectable life to the citizens by the post-independence leaders. It basically satires on the presidents who initially ruled the country and made it gripped with harsh and cruel politics. The novel certainly aims at instigating a social change by bringing out  grave matters like gender disparity which weakens a society and makes it hollow from inside.

Smouldering Charcoal falls in the category of socio-political novel. It can also be called a misandrist novel which presents men as inhuman, non-emotive beings filled with all kinds of negative emotion and always disrespecting the opposite gender.

The story of the novel revolves around Chola and his girlfriend Catherine and Mchere and his wife Nambe. Both the pairs belong to different strata of the society: Mchere and Nambe are poor and belong to the lower class and  Chola and Catherine are presented as parts of the middle class society. With Catherine, Chola, both educated,  try to bring a breakthrough in the society and get rid of old  inhuman traditions set for the benefit of a few.  They represent the rising class of the society which is aware and not ready to accept the impotent system.

Eric Wang