After the death of Herbert Palla the family and friends alike are left to deal with how to grieve this loss while still confronting the power structure that defines their decisions.
The play opens on Stella, the Palla family's maid, cleaning their expensively furnished home.
Martha Palla, the matriarch of the house, enters, and asks Stella to clean the gun that is mounted on the wall, and make sure that the rooms are ready for the coming guests.
Herbert Palla briefly enters, then heads out to the garden, followed by George, his brother, who has come to visit him.
Later, the pastor arrives at the house to greet Martha and Herbert, and to give his blessing to the coming guests.
Later, in the same place, a party is being held to celebrate Chris’ arrival, and all of the family, as well as new characters like Uncle Ben, and young man called Ali are present.
The Old Man enters, who is the gravedigger, and speaks briefly to the Ghost about the Palla clan's traditional resting place.
Lydia enters and speaks to briefly to the gravedigger about Herbet, and how his life in the city has affected his ties to his home.
She does not make much headway with Chris and starts to give him her own insight on her perspective on being Herbert's wife, and since she is not a part of his clan she was left with nothing.
Moments after George leaves Martha lies on the sofa, and the noise of an angry crowd starts growing.
Both him and his wife were known for being wealthy, educated Kenyans and turned their back on their ethnic community, while his brother stayed loyal to clan.
They represented the emerging Kenyan burgeoisie that was closely related to material wealth and success and more western ideals of fulfillment.
The verdict of the court decision revealed that ethnic interests and the concerns of the clans and families hold more significance than common laws introduced during colonization.
In this society it is wrong to leave your clan and turn your back on traditions in exchange for a more modern and material life.