Abdullah

As the novel opens Abdullah, a former freedom fighter who has lost a leg in the struggle for Kenyan independence, runs a duka, or shop, where he sells provisions and drinks to the townsfolk of Ilmorog. Like the other protagonists, Abdullah has come to Ilmorog to flee his former life, its painful memories, and its responsibilities. He had been one of the bravest and most active participants in the movement for independence, joining the Mau Mau rebellion and fighting in the forest with the charismatic leader Ole Masai. During the uprising he and Karega's brother, Nding'uri, had been betrayed by Kimeria. Abdullah managed to escape, but Nding'uri had been hanged. After independence, Abdullah returns to his hometown, Limuru, expecting to see the fruits of his struggle—the redemption of the land for the people. But he finds that his heroism is not acknowledged, and he and other peasants...