The King’s Bracelet: A Historical Fiction Novel by Didi Wamukoya

In 1904 colonial Kenya, power, faith, and forbidden desire intertwine in this historical political fiction. When British authorities confiscate a sacred brass bracelet—the omukasa—from the Wanga king, three men find their lives irrevocably connected.

Wabala, the deposed chief elder of the Wanga people, crafts an ambitious plan to restore his position, aided by Sande, a servant with hidden loyalties. Their secret connection threatens to upend the colonial power structure. Meanwhile, French missionary Father Alain Fontaine’s growing feelings for Wabala force him to confront his religious vows and true nature. Their developing bond—taboo in both African and European society—deepens as they share language lessons and intimate conversations.

District Commissioner Harold Smith, threatened by their closeness, schemes to separate them while securing his own authority. As Smith tightens his grip on the region, he unknowingly becomes entangled in traditional power structures through a mysterious ritualist’s ceremonies.

This historical fiction love story explores the cost of ambition, the power of forbidden attraction, and the clash between duty and desire. As colonial politics mesh with traditional authority, each man must choose between the expectations placed upon him and the truth in his heart. Their choices will reshape not only their own lives but the future of an entire people.

Themes of colonial power, cultural preservation, and the universal struggle for acceptance are masterfully woven in this African historical fiction, against the backdrop of a rapidly changing society where nothing is quite what it seems.

In 1904 colonial Kenya, the king’s bracelet holds the key to power and destiny.

When Wabala, a deposed tribal elder, loses his position at the hands of his closest friend—the king—he sets in motion an intricate plan for redemption. His unlikely ally is Father Alain Fontaine, a French missionary whose growing feelings for Wabala force him to question everything he believes. Between them stands Harold Smith, an ambitious District Commissioner determined to crush native authority.

As the king’s bracelet vanishes and colonial tensions rise, these three men from different worlds find their fates intertwined through forbidden ritual, political intrigue, and dangerous desire. Traditional spiritual practices clash with Christian doctrine and British colonial rule, while love blooms in the most unexpected places.

Who will triumph when traditional power collides with colonial ambition? And what price must each man pay for following his heart?

A sweeping historical novel of power, faith, and forbidden love.