Representation of socio-cultural and political change in the poetry of Kagayi Ngobi

Abstract

This study examines how poetry serves as a means of engaging with socio-cultural and political realities in post-independence Uganda, with a specific focus on the works of Kagayi Ngobi, a notable Ugandan poet and performer. Through a critical analysis of his written and performed poetry, the research investigates how Kagayi navigates and critiques Uganda’s complex postcolonial landscape. The study is rooted in two theories: performance theory, drawing on scholars such as Richard Schechner, Richard Bauman, and Victor Turner, and their ideas on embodiment and restored behavior, and decolonial thought. It specifically incorporates Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni’s concepts of epistemic disobedience and the coloniality of power, knowledge, and being. These frameworks provide perspectives through which Kagayi’s poetic voice is understood not only as a performative act but also as a decolonial gesture that challenges the dominant narratives inherited from colonial structures. The research examines how his diction, themes, and oral aesthetics confront issues such as inequality, cultural alienation, failed leadership, and social stratification. By exploring how Kagayi uses poetry to reflect and respond to lived experiences in Uganda, the study highlights poetry’s ability to reclaim indigenous knowledge systems and to revive public consciousness. In this way, the research not only analyzes the artistic and thematic elements of Kagayi’s work but also situates his poetry within the larger struggle for cultural identity, civic awareness, and historical justice. Through the interaction of performance and text, Kagayi’s work becomes a space for resistance, memory, and hope. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that contemporary Ugandan poetry, as exemplified by Kagayi’s work, is a vital form of social commentary and a dynamic medium for envisioning alternative futures based on justice, dignity, and self-determination.