The slow awakening of the people of Bulembe to the true meaning of 'independence' encapsulated in the parallel stories of the Kamuyuga family, who shed their old identity and turn into the wealth-grabbing 'Alkarims', and the Lubele family, who remain exploited peasants. But do the people remain forever caught under the burdens of the past, blinded by the skin-deep 'changes' to the present? This is revealed through the eyes of Simon Lubele, son of Bulembe dedicated to real change. Hamza Sokko renders the tranquil beauty of the Anyalungu plateau on which Bulembe lies, deep-rooted customs of its peasants, the crushing twin burdens of static African tradition and oppressive colonial machinery with poignancy and quiet insight.