CHARACTERISATION
Adyeri
He is the father of Abooki and Atwoki and a husband to Amoti . He is an ex-headmaster of St. Leos High school; he loses his job as a result of a financial scandal for the money he steals to build a house for Birungi at Burungu. He is a heavy drunkard and greedy. He becomes a hopeless heavy drunkard after losing the job. He also sets high bride price that makes Vicky’s marriage to Akena impossible. He is hot tempered. He is extremely hot-tempered and treats his family in as a dictator. He beats his wife and children often over just slight mistakes. He is an irresponsible father. He fails to provide for the family. Due to his drinking habit he fails to foot the food bills in the house. That’s why uncle Araali comes and finds children with no food and foots the food bills. He is a reputed womanizer and a distinguished sex-maniac. He engages in extramarital affairs with his concubines who eventually make him acquire the dreadful AIDS pandemic. He is deserted by his family and goes to get shelter to Birungi’s home but she throws him away.He is a victim of HIV/AIDS. He remains hopeless and dies miserably of the disease passing like a shadow. He is not worthy being emulated.
Amoti
The wife of Adyeri and a mother of Abooki. She is a responsible and caring mother. Despite Adyeri being a heavy drunkard and a womanizer, she remains stable and takes care of the children. Despite all her weaknesses, Amoti has a positive side. She manages to take a good care of her children even after family separation. She is jealous. We are told that Amoti does not want Vicky to marry Akena because of jealousy. As a result she puts an obstacle that Akena is a Munyamahanga (a man from another tribe). Also she is jealous of the wife of the rich shopkeeper. She is a tribalist. She denies Vicky to marry a man from another tribe calling him a Munyamahanga.She is revengeful and unforgiving. She turns away from her husband at a time of disaster. Even when she is pleaded to forgive him she is so reluctant and believes that it should be a lesson to him. She’s suspected to be unfaithful in her marriage. We are told that she loves going to Kinyamasika in the mornings possibly she has an extramarital affair. Pg 18 She is superstitious. Amoti believes that the sickness of her husband is due to witchcraft. She says that her husband has been bewitched by Birungi. She is a victim of HIV/AIDS. She is also wiped away from the scene by the pandemic which she contracted from her husband and passes away like a shadow.
Atwok
The son of Adyeri who suffers poor upbringing from his heavily drinking father. He is a handsome and famous football star. He is nicknamed “Fort Portal Bullet” when he is in high school. He plays for the national team and scores a goal which makes the president reward him. He builds his mother a house. He makes a lot of money and manages to build a house for his mother at Katumba near Kachwamba. Pg 25 He is easily forgiving unlike his mother. He forgives his father when he is brought home by his fans at a time when Adyeri was seriously sick. He is a victim of peer pressure. He is influenced by his friend David in Kampala and begins chasing girls. Following his behaviour he gets HIV from his girlfriend {Edda} and is soon to die of AIDS. He has a changing behaviour. At first we are told he is so disciplined and faithful. But later he changes and becomes a reputed womanizer like his daddy. He is a betrayer/traitor. He betrays his sister and his mother. When his mother is sick he does not provide any financial help to the extent that Abooki has to go to Vicky for financial support and relies on the support given by John which later turn out to be a trap
Abooki
She is a daughter of Adyeri and Amoti. She is a good adviser. She advises Atwoki to be careful when in Kampala lest he dies.She is a faithful and disciplined girl. she managed to remain virgin until she reached high school.She unexpectedly falls into a trap of a hypocrite known as John who tricks her and sleeps with her out of her consent. She is caring and loving. She takes care of her sick mother and brother. Although Atwoki deserted her when he was in the hall of fame, she never revenged when he needed her help. She falls in love with Dr. Jonathan. After confirming that she is HIV and pregnancy free, the two fall in love and start honourable relationship.
Vicky
She is an Orphan and Adyeri’s niece who lives with him after her mother’s death. She is not given good parental care. She exiles herself from home and meets Akena who wants to marry her. But the issue is complicated by her uncle who demands high bride price. She is exploited by Adyeri’s family. We are told she went to Bundibugyo to pick tea in the plantation but the money was prepaid to Amoti who used it to pay the school fees for her children and Vicky got nothing from. She becomes a prostitute temporarily. She decides to go for commercial sex as a result of the influence from her friends Tusiime and Kunihira. She marries Aliganyira but they are not blessed with a child. Her husband pressurizes her to go to the witchdoctor where she gets HIV/AIDS. She becomes a victim and dies. She has no stand. She leaves Akena because of the complications made by her caretakers, She is a good advisor. She advises Abooki not to go for money. It’s better she gets married to a beggar provided they love each other.
David.
He’s a son of a rich and important man both in government and Kabaka’s Council in Kampala.
He is Atwoki’s friend and a university dropout (reject). He is the one who invites Atwoki to Kampala and influences him negatively. He is a womanizer like his father. The author says he was his father’s perfect replica. He influences Atwoki to start hunting for girls. He gets HIV/AIDS and spreads it intentionally.He is a bad advisor. He advises Atwoki by misleading him. He says for instance “Look Atwoki, if you can’t change the world, allow the world to change you” pg 33. He dresses expensively and his greatest hobby is to chat with girls. He is not worthy being emulated.
Birungi.
She’s Adyeri’s concubine who lives in Burungu. She is very beautiful with attractive hair. She manages to get hold of Adyeri despite all the defences he put. She is a prostitute and exploiter of men. She exploits Adyeri who steals the school funds to build her a house and sells his plot of land to finance her shop. She is a former secretary of Adyeri when he was the headmaster of St. Leos High school. She is ignorant of the disease called slim/AIDS and spreads it unawares.
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