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Mugo
Kihika is the brother of Mumbi and Kariuki and the son of Mbugua and Wanjiku. Though already dead in the book’s present storyline, Kihika is the great hero of the Gikuyu and a leader of the Mau Mau Freedom Fighters. In contrast to the generally passive and indecisive male characters in the story, Kihika is assured of his destiny even as a child, knowing that his role is to fight the evil rule of the British and give his life as a sacrifice for his people if necessary. Kihika is driven by the stories of the Bible and his responsibility to his community, modeling the noble sacrifice required of oneself for the sake of others, especially in times of great historical struggle, even recognizing himself as a possible Christ figure in his leadership and sacrifice. In the depiction of colonialism, Kihika stands opposite John Thompson, representing the moral struggle for freedom from oppression, even at the cost of bloodshed. Kihika’s beliefs about sacrifice inevitably come to fruition, as he is betrayed by Mugo, captured, and executed for his leadership of the Freedom Fighters and his assassination of the notorious Thomas Robson. However, in his death, Kihika becomes an icon of the resistance for his people and is the “grain of wheat” referred to in the title, who by his death brings new life into the world.
Kihika Quotes in A Grain of Wheat
The A Grain of Wheat quotes below are all either spoken by Kihika or refer to Kihika. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 7 Quotes
Unknown to those around him, Kihika’s heart hardened towards “these people,” long before he had even encountered a white face. Soldiers came back from the war and told stories of what they had seen in Burma, Egypt, Palestine and India; wasn’t Mahatma Gandhi, the saint, leading the Indian people against the British rule? Kihika fed on these stories: his imagination and daily observation told him the rest; from early on, he had visions of himself, a saint, leading Kenyan people to freedom and power.
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“I would hate to see a train run over my mother or father, or brothers. Oh, what would I do?” [Mumbi] quickly exclaimed.
“Women are cowards.” Karanja said half in joke.
“Would you like a train to run over you?” Mumbi retorted angrily. Karanja felt the anger and did not answer.
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In Kenya we want deaths which will change things, that is to say, we want true sacrifice. But first we have to be ready to carry the cross. I die for you, you die for me, we become a sacrifice for one another. So I can say that you, Karanja, are Christ. Everybody who takes the Oath of Unity to change things in Kenya is a Christ.
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Though Njeri was a short girl, her slim figure made her appear tall. But there was something tough about that slimness. She despised women’s weaknesses, like tears, and whenever fights occurred at Kinenie [forest], she always fought, even with men. A cat, men called her, because few could impose their physical will on her.
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Chapter 13 Quotes
“I despise the weak. Why? Because the weak need not remain weak. Listen! Our fathers fought bravely. But do you know the biggest weapon unleashed by the enemy against them? It was not the Maxim gun. It was the division amongst them. Why? Because a people united in faith are stronger than the bomb. They shall not tremble or run away before the sword.”
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“But what is an oath? For some people, you need the oath to bind them to the Movement. There are those who’ll keep a secret unless bound by an oath. I know them […] In any case how many took the oath and are now licking the toes of the whiteman? No, you take an oath to confirm a choice already made. The decision to lay or not to lay your life on the line for the people lies in the heart. The oath is water sprinkled on a man’s head at baptism.”
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I am important. I must not die. To keep myself alive, healthy, strong—to wait for my mission in life is a duty to myself, to men and women of tomorrow. If Moses had died in the reeds, who would ever have known that he was destined to be a great man?
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Kihika Character Timeline in A Grain of Wheat
The timeline below shows where the character Kihika appears in A Grain of Wheat. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...wealthy, forcing the world to recognize him as someone important. He holds these dreams until “Kihika had come into his life.”
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Chapter 2
Mugo once attended a meeting of the Movement, where he saw Kihika, a fellow villager a few years his junior, call for revolution and bloodshed to end...
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A bounty is put on Kihika’s head. He is captured a year later, tortured, and executed publicly. The homeguard (the colonial...
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Chapter 3
...messages and weapons through police checkpoints. The three tell Mugo that they want to commemorate Kihika’s life. Mugo almost panics.
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...in the forest. After catching up with the others, General R. announces that he believes Kihika was betrayed, perhaps by Karanja. Since he knows that Mugo gave shelter to Kihika after...
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...why they have come: Since Mugo’s name is now forever tied to the Movement and Kihika for the contributions he has made, they want Mugo to lead the ceremony and sacrifice...
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Outside, General R. and Lt. Koina agree that they must continue to seek out Kihika’s betrayer, though it seems likely that it is Karanja, a Thabai villager who now works...
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Chapter 6
...Mugo toys with the idea of accepting the role as leader, even though he betrayed Kihika.
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Chapter 7
The narrative looks back to the days when Gikonyo, Karanja, and Kihika were young men: Thabai is proud of its Rung’ei marketplace, swarming with Gikuyu women selling...
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Mumbi is raised by her mother Wanjiku and father Mbugua, along with her two brothers Kihika and Kariuki. Young men often come to visit Mumbi at their house, including Gikonyo and...
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...to stay and they share a short, but sweet amount of time alone together before Kihika and Karanja arrive.
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With Kihika present, the conversation inevitably turns to “politics and the gathering storm in the land.” Kihika...
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Regardless, before all of this happens, Kihika buys a Bible and becomes obsessed with the story of Moses leading Israel out of...
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Back in Mumbi’s hut, Mumbi, Kihika, Gikonyo, and Karanja are discussing revolution. Karanja believes it is hopeless; Kihika declares that Kenya...
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As they are speaking, Njeri and Wambuku arrive—young women who are both in love with Kihika. As they do, everyone hears the rumble of the train in the distance and realizes...
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...a stranger steadies him. Karanja blames his dizziness on the heat and goes to find Kihika.
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Kihika is speaking with others about the need for each movement to have a central Christ-figure...
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...the woods. Karanja plays the guitar, though his heart is not in the music, and Kihika and Wambuku dance together—with Njeri looking sadly on—before wandering off into a clearing. Even away...
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...happy, Mumbi and Wangari note that his music and his words gradually become more like Kihika’s, harboring a revolutionary spirit. The young people of Thabai no longer dance in the woods;...
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...come home from their day’s work. Kariuki arrives instead, telling her she must come home. Kihika has gone to the forest to wage war on the whiteman. Wambuku is heartbroken, realizing...
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Chapter 8
...the night air to walk to a tea shop, Mugo reflects on the scriptures that Kihika had loved and often quoted. They stir in his mind a memory from 1955, two...
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...the “climax of his life. For a week later DO Robson was shot dead, and Kihika came into his life.”
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Chapter 9
Mumbi also recalls Wambuku, Kihika’s lover who, after hearing of his death, “destroyed herself with soldiers and homeguards, any man,”...
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...villagers to burn their old homes and move to a new location as retribution for Kihika’s capture of a police station. Although Mumbi is initially disheartened, especially since there is no...
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When Kihika is killed, Mumbi’s family is crushed—even Mbugua, a legendary warrior, “urinated on his legs.” Not...
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...More importantly, though, General R. and Koina are convinced that it was Karanja who betrayed Kihika, confirmed by Koina’s observation of Karanja during a recent mission to Githima. They have laid...
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Chapter 12
...again and walks on. Though he tries to drive such thoughts and his guilt over Kihika from his mind, it keeps returning. Mugo wonders why, when Christ was crucified—like Kihika was...
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Chapter 13
...merely confirms that “Mugo, our hero, [is] no ordinary man.” In Wambui’s eyes, Mugo is “Kihika born again” and thus vital for their Uhuru celebrations. Since Wambui “believe[s] in the power...
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...burdened by the knowledge that General R. will execute Karanja once he is exposed as Kihika’s betrayer. Although she hates Karanja, Mumbi also hates the thought of more death and violence...
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...the torture and dehumanization, but Mugo finally admits that he is the one who murdered Kihika. Briefly falling into a wicked hysteria—seemingly the release of years of pent-up paranoia and fear—he...
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...insistently at the door and Mugo lets them in, expecting them to be homeguards. Instead, Kihika enters, shutting the door behind him. Mugo asks if Kihika means to kill him. Outside,...
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Kihika says that he has seen Mugo’s independence and self-sufficiency and believes he would be the...
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Mugo sits alone by himself, unsure of what to do. His future seems obliterated, as Kihika has unjustly forced his own struggles upon Mugo’s life. Mugo bitterly reflects, “He is not...
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This anguish and Mugo’s wandering ends the moment he sees a wanted poster with Kihika’s face above a hefty monetary sum. Mugo is struck with a strange pleasure. His mind...
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...him from the bullies. Mugo is nervous, but announces to Thompson that he knows where Kihika will be that very night. Momentarily, the act of betrayal thrills Mugo and he sees...
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Chapter 14
...rites. The villagers swarm Mugo’s hut for over an hour, singing songs about he and Kihika’s heroism together, but he never emerges. Even so, the celebration continues into the night, through...
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The night before, Mumbi discovered that Mugo is Kihika’s real betrayer. However, she had seen such pain in his eyes then that she cannot...
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...of our people,” meaning they must celebrate heroes and “punish traitors.” General R. announces that Kihika’s betrayer is in their midst and asks him to reveal himself, letting the tension build....
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Karanja
...and wanders down the street, thinking now about Mumbi’s rejection, about the day he saw Kihika’s body hanging from a tree and felt not pity for his friend, but merely disgust...
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