This article presents an interpretation of Said Ahmed Mohamed`s forth novel Kiza katika Nuru (1988). My aim is to show that this novel is an engaging model of modern Swahili fiction, in which the author provides a very acute perception of the contemporary social and political realities in Tanzania. The article focuses on the plot and characters, and will wouch some aspects of language usage and problems of translation. The latter aspect is derived from my work experience in translation Kiza katika Nuru into Italian: Il buio nella luce (Nocera 2004).

Makala hii inachanganua wahusika na dhana kuu zinazosawiriwa katika riwaya ya Kiza Katika Nuru (1988) ya Said Ahmed Mohamed kwa kuzingatia mihimili ya mojawapo ya mikabala ya Umarxi Mpya, mkabala wa mwanafalsafa na mwananadharia kutoka Marekani ya Kilatini, Paulo Freire. Kiini cha mkabala huu wa umarxi-mpya ni kukosoa na kutupilia mbali mitazamo kuhusu elimu inayomnyima mwanafunzi fursa ya kujifunza kutokana na mazingira yake. Uchambuzi huu unabainisha jinsi Umarxi Mpya wa Kifreire unavyofaa kwa kuchambua riwaya ya Kiza Katika Nuru, na riwaya nyingine za Kiswahili zinazofanana nayo. / This article analyses characters and main concepts in Said Ahmed Mohamed’s novel Kiza katika Nuru (Darkness in Light) through applying tenets of one of the Neo-Marxist theories, namely the Freirean one. Paul Freire’s Neo-Marxist theory is primarily associated with the Latin American environment and centres around the debunking of the banking concept education as a modus operand of revolution. This analysis demonstrates how Freirean Neo-Marxism is relevant and appropriate to the understanding and interpretation of Kiza Katika Nuru and other Kiswahili novels that are similar to it.

This article presents an interpretation of Said Ahmed Mohamed`s forth novel Kiza katika Nuru (1988). My aim is to show that this novel is an engaging model of modern Swahili fiction, in which the author provides a very acute perception of the contemporary social and political realities in Tanzania. The article focuses on the plot and characters, and will wouch some aspects of language usage and problems of translation. The latter aspect is derived from my work experience in translation Kiza katika Nuru into Italian: Il buio nella luce (Nocera 2004).