(Dawn. Long queues. Silence. Cold morning. Tension everywhere. For the first time in the play; No music. No dancing. Only waiting. Villagers queue quietly.)
Woman: I barely slept.
Elder: Election days feel like ‘Exodus’.
Kamau: Do you think anything changes today?
Elder: Every election do change something. Usually in favor of politicians.
(Soft laughter. Gichuka Waithera walks quietly among voters. No convoy. No bodyguards. People greet him politely but cautiously. Meanwhile Mungai arrives dramatically. Security. Convoy. Media. Crowds surge immediately. Phones recording.)
MC Jay: Leader of the people!
(Cheers erupt.)
Gichuka Waithera: (watching quietly) Crowds are not people. They are pictures.
Mzee Kihoto: Yes. But pictures win elections now.
(Voting continues. Silence grows heavier. The audience feel; history repeating itself. Then night. Large crowd gathered around Lari tally center. Tension unbearable. Phones glowing. Generators humming.)
Announcer (Offstage): Total votes cast—
(Crowd silent.)
Announcer: Honorable Gichuka Waithera—
(Crowd listens intensely.)
Announcer: Six thousand, two hundred and eleven votes.
(Applause from supporters.)
Announcer: Honorable Mungai—
(Massive silence.)
Announcer: Fifty-eight thousand, four hundred and ninety votes.
(Explosion. Music. Screaming. Whistles. Celebration chaos. Fireworks. Dancing. Mungai lifted onto shoulders.)
Crowd: Mungai! Mungai! Mungai!
(Gichuka Waithera stands completely still amid chaos. No speech. No anger. Just quiet understanding.)
Kamau: How?
Nyina wa Wanja: Because hunger votes faster than reason.
(Mungai grabs microphone triumphantly.)
Mungai: The people of Lari have spoken! And their voice is Gods voice. Democracy has won!
(Wild cheering.)
Mzee Kihoto (stepping slowly into light) No. Democracy has not won. Hunger has revealed itself.
(Celebration continues behind him like madness.)
Mzee Kihoto: And somewhere beneath the music… beneath the dancing…beneath the fireworks…Lari quietly prepared to suffer again.
(Lights slowly fade while celebration continues.)
Woman: I barely slept.
Elder: Election days feel like ‘Exodus’.
Kamau: Do you think anything changes today?
Elder: Every election do change something. Usually in favor of politicians.
(Soft laughter. Gichuka Waithera walks quietly among voters. No convoy. No bodyguards. People greet him politely but cautiously. Meanwhile Mungai arrives dramatically. Security. Convoy. Media. Crowds surge immediately. Phones recording.)
MC Jay: Leader of the people!
(Cheers erupt.)
Gichuka Waithera: (watching quietly) Crowds are not people. They are pictures.
Mzee Kihoto: Yes. But pictures win elections now.
(Voting continues. Silence grows heavier. The audience feel; history repeating itself. Then night. Large crowd gathered around Lari tally center. Tension unbearable. Phones glowing. Generators humming.)
Announcer (Offstage): Total votes cast—
(Crowd silent.)
Announcer: Honorable Gichuka Waithera—
(Crowd listens intensely.)
Announcer: Six thousand, two hundred and eleven votes.
(Applause from supporters.)
Announcer: Honorable Mungai—
(Massive silence.)
Announcer: Fifty-eight thousand, four hundred and ninety votes.
(Explosion. Music. Screaming. Whistles. Celebration chaos. Fireworks. Dancing. Mungai lifted onto shoulders.)
Crowd: Mungai! Mungai! Mungai!
(Gichuka Waithera stands completely still amid chaos. No speech. No anger. Just quiet understanding.)
Kamau: How?
Nyina wa Wanja: Because hunger votes faster than reason.
(Mungai grabs microphone triumphantly.)
Mungai: The people of Lari have spoken! And their voice is Gods voice. Democracy has won!
(Wild cheering.)
Mzee Kihoto (stepping slowly into light) No. Democracy has not won. Hunger has revealed itself.
(Celebration continues behind him like madness.)
Mzee Kihoto: And somewhere beneath the music… beneath the dancing…beneath the fireworks…Lari quietly prepared to suffer again.
(Lights slowly fade while celebration continues.)
