Love, lies and corruption collide in new Mombasa play 'The Professionals'

Asili ya Afrika will stage The Professionals, a comedy and drama about love, intercultural relationships, family expectations, cultural traditions, corruption, freedom of choice in love, misuse of public funds, political influence, secrets and deception, drug abuse, LGBTQ issues, and professional ethics and integrity.

The play is written and directed by Ibrahim Milimu, with Yasin Juneja as assistant director. It will be staged on August 29 at the Little Theatre Club in Mombasa.

The play revolves around the lives of several families from different cultural backgrounds. It explores the contrast between how people present themselves to society and who they become when their relationships and loyalties are tested.

The story follows General Patrick (Hassan Katana), whose past is connected to a hospital project and whose family relationships are complicated. The hospital project forms an important thread in the story. General Patrick is linked to the project, while Samir (Abbas Mohamed) is accused of benefiting from money linked to it. The project was never completed after money intended for its construction was allegedly lost through corruption.

The death of Samir leaves questions about what happened to the money and who was responsible. Ruman's father was the contractor hired to construct the hospital, while Nurse Anika's father funded the hospital project. Anika and Ruman enter Samir's household while trying to uncover information about the missing funds.

Mithun (Yasin Juneja), a 40-year-old bachelor who is an actor and is Samir’s son. He comes from an Indian family and faces pressure from his mother, Mamajee (Cainath Abdul), to marry an Indian woman. However, having grown up in Kenya, Mithun has his own ideas about love and is attracted to African women.

Nurse Anika (Miriam Woki Ndua), a Kikuyu woman, comes to Mithun's household as a nurse. She is investigating money her father invested in the hospital project and wants to find out what happened to it.

Ruman (Sumeiya Lewa), a Somali woman whose father was the contractor involved in the construction of the hospital, also comes to Mithun's household as a maid. She is there to uncover information about the project and the missing money.

Neither woman initially reveals her real intentions, but their plans are complicated when Mithun develops feelings for both of them.

“Mithun is caught between family expectations and his desire to make his own choices. He doesn’t want to live according to cultural ways. He wants the freedom to love whoever he wants. It is about what his heart feels,” Juneja explains.

He says that the character represents the pressure placed on first-born sons in Indian families to live according to their parents' expectations. Mithun's mother is concerned about his unmarried status and wants to control his romantic life. At one point, she searches his room and discovers condoms, leading to a confrontation.

Mithun's relationships with Anika and Ruman explore attraction and relationships across cultural differences. Juneja says the character believes there is nothing wrong with loving someone from a different cultural background.

The comedy comes from him navigating his relationships with both women while dealing with his mother's expectations. His character also brings elements of Indian music, dance and humour to the production.

The play also follows several other complicated relationships. Lindi (Deborah Akhonya Akhubula) is married to Spencer (Victor Kioko Mutati) in the countryside but also has a husband, MacDonald (William Mwachiro), in the city.

Milimu says that the title The Professionals is about people’s occupations and how the characters manage difficult situations and what happens when they are expected to do things professionally.

“The play uses different families and cultures to connect several storylines to a larger question about society. We have different families and cultures, but the storylines connect and have an anchor who is General Patrick,” Milimu explains.

Milimu says that the relationships cause the professionals to abandon the principles they claim to uphold, with love becoming a distraction. He hopes that audiences will connect with the way the characters try to protect themselves while navigating complicated relationships.

The cast also includes Bernice Muriuki as Mother Dot Com, Faith Mutheu as Tatiana, Sallyglory Beatrice Mwikali as Linah Mwakuriwa, Gloria Sande as Janet, Kelly Brendah Njoki as Pinky, Olivia Odhiambo as Tina, Omar Mwatsanuo as Ben, and Muhammad Khamis as Mwakiriwa.