Juliasi Kaizari

Juliasi Kaizari brings the political intrigue, betrayal, and drama of Ancient Rome to the Swahili-speaking world. Mwalimu Julius Nyerere’s translation is renowned for its linguistic elegance, capturing the iambic pentameter and the rhetorical power of Shakespeare’s original English while utilizing the rich metaphorical depth of the Swahili language.

The play follows the conspiracy against the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, his subsequent assassination, and the chaotic aftermath that leads to civil war. In an East African context, the themes of leadership, the morality of political assassination, and the power of oratory (exemplified by Mark Antony’s famous funeral speech) take on profound resonance. This book is a staple of the Swahili literature curriculum in secondary schools and universities across East Africa, serving as a bridge between Western classical drama and African linguistic heritage.