[Chirundu] traces the downfall of Chimba Chirundu, the corrupt, power-hungry minister of transport in an unnamed central African country…. Many urgent social and political problems are contained in Mphahlele's complex narrative web: the corruption of post-independence African governments; the struggle for workers' rights; the incompatibility of indigenous and colonially imposed laws; and the bitter impotence of exile. An eloquent work by a major African writer.

Peter Sabor, "Book Reviews: 'Chirundu'," in Library Journal (reprinted from Library Journal, November 15, 1981; published by R. R. Bowker Co. (a Xerox company); copyright © 1981 by Xerox Corporation), Vol. 106, No. 20, November 15, 1981, p. 2253.