Scene 1

Some days later, Kĩgũũnda, Wangeci, Gĩcaamba, and Njooki discuss the earlier visit of the Kĩois. Gĩcaamba warns against trusting the rich. He compares them to a cat playing with a mouse.

...Leave these people alone.
They are just playing about with you,
In the same way a cat plays about with a mouse,
Knowing that the mouse will end up in the cat's belly!

Gĩcaamba questions whether Kĩoi explicitly mentioned wanting his son to marry Gathoni. Wangeci and Njooki clarify that it was not directly stated but only hinted. Njooki passionately criticizes Christianity, seeing it as a tool imposed by the colonizers to control and exploit the people. Gĩcaamba remarks how the church has historically collaborated with oppressors and missionaries preached while holding guns.

Religion should be about helping others, so Gĩcaamba questions why the rich do not share their wealth or improve working conditions. Kĩgũũnda grapples with the dilemma of refusing to have his marriage blessed at the church and potentially ruin Gathoni's future. Gĩcaamba and Njooki argue that traditional ceremonies already bless marriages. They question the necessity of church involvement.

The scene transitions to a flashback to Gĩcaamba and Njooki's traditional wedding ceremony, emphasizing the community's involvement and celebration. The ceremony includes symbolic gestures and exchanges. The clans engage in ululations and traditional songs to celebrate the union. After the ceremony, joyful singing and dancing ensue.

The story then shifts to a flashback of Gĩcaamba's involvement in the Mau Mau movement. The scene portrays the resistance against colonial rule, depicting the 1948 general strike and the subsequent oath-taking ceremony among workers. Gĩcaamba reflects on the sacrifices made during the struggle for independence, highlighting the bloodshed and determination of the peasants, workers, and children.

Gĩcaamba emphasizes the significance of unity, patriotic struggle, and the collective effort to achieve freedom. The scene concludes with a discussion between Kĩgũũnda and Wangeci, where Kĩgũũnda grapples with conflicting feelings stirred by Gĩcaamba's words. Wangeci expresses frustration about their current situation and urges Kĩgũũnda, despite their friends' warnings, to agree with Kĩoi's plans for Gathoni's marriage.

Scene 2

At the well-furnished home of the Kĩoi family, Jezebel, Ndugire, and Helen are seated at a well-laid table attended by a waiter. Meanwhile, Ikuua, a wealthy man, is preparing to leave. He expresses his preference for alcoholic drinks and jokes about their shared religious beliefs.

Ikuua and Kĩoi engage in a private conversation concerning a planned insecticide factory. Ikuua emphasizes the necessity of locating it away from where "important people" live due to its output of toxic gases. Ikuua believes that a property like Kĩgũũnda's would be an ideal location for the factory. He mentions that Kĩoi could potentially become a local director for foreign investors and mentions strategies for avoiding tax regulations.

After Ikuua leaves, the focus shifts to John Mũhũũni, who is yet to return from Mombasa. Kĩoi also reveals plans for a hotel and expresses reservations about the insecticide factory. Instead, he considers the more profitable venture of opening hotels in coastal areas.

The party discusses the difficulties of managing workers. Kĩoi complains:

that his laborers are too needy.
But these workers cannot let you accumulate!
Every day: I want an increment.
Workers are like the ogres said to have two insatiable mouths.
When they are not demanding a rise in wages
They are asking you for an advance.

Jezebel, in particular, feels that the workers should simply be content with what they have. She appeals to her Christian religion, emphasizing the virtues of gratitude and humility. Jezebel asserts that earthly struggles are transient trials and that true fulfillment lies in...