The Floods – by John Ruganda

The Floods is a powerful political play by Ugandan dramatist John Ruganda, first published in 1980. Set in an unnamed African dictatorship, the play dramatizes the terrifying effects of authoritarianism, state violence, and political fear on ordinary citizens. Through the lives of survivors, victims, and enforcers in a society consumed by terror, Ruganda paints a chilling portrait of a regime collapsing under its own brutality.

The play uses symbolism, flashbacks, dark humor, and raw dialogue to explore themes such as oppression, betrayal, trauma, and complicity. It remains a bold critique of tyranny and a reminder of the cost of silence in the face of injustice.