Jacinta is a young secretary who feels deeply insecure about her physical appearance, using skin-lightening creams and hair straighteners to conform to colonial beauty standards. Beaten down by sexual harassment and romantic betrayal, she boards a matatũ to return to her family in Ilmorog. Her experiences make her acutely aware of the systemic exploitation women face in the workforce.

Gatuĩria is a university researcher in African culture and a passionate composer. Educated in America, he rejects the ruthless capitalism practiced by his wealthy family, choosing instead to focus on preserving traditional Kenyan music. He searches for a pure musical form that represents his nation's history without European influence.

Robin Mwaũra is a cynical matatũ driver whose only stated goal in life is to make money. He takes pride in his vehicle's ragged appearance, operating with strict moral relativism. He claims to be equally comfortable with God or the Devil as long as business remains profitable.

The Rich Old Man is a wealthy and powerful figure who used his money and influence to sexually exploit a young Jacinta. He manipulated her family's poverty to gain access to her, playing cruel "hunting" games in the woods before discarding her when she became pregnant.

Mwĩreri wa Mũkiraaĩ is a Harvard-educated economist who views modern theft and robbery as synonymous with business acumen. He believes firmly in "domestic theft," arguing that the local elite should exploit the country's resources rather than foreign investors. His elitist views frequently clash with the working-class passengers on the bus.

Mũturi is a working-class man who firmly believes in the power of the producing class over the "parasite" class of wealthy elites. He frequently interjects during the bus ride to challenge the cynical and capitalist views of his fellow passengers. He organizes local workers to confront corruption head-on.

Wangarĩ is an impoverished woman wearing a kitenge garment who recently suffered a stint in jail. Arrested merely for seeking work repeatedly in Nairobi, she travels to Ilmorog intending to report local corruption to the police. Her experiences highlight the criminalization of poverty in post-colonial Kenya.

The Gĩcaandĩ Player is a traditional storyteller and Prophet of Justice. He fasts for seven days to receive the spiritual authority required to tell Jacinta's story accurately, framing the events as a matter of cultural and historical importance.

Boss Kĩhara is the head of the Champion Construction Company in Nairobi. He leverages his economic power over his female employees, demanding sexual favors in exchange for job security.

John is Jacinta's boyfriend in Nairobi who ends their relationship on the same day she loses her job. Instead of supporting her, he hypocritically accuses her of sleeping with her boss.

Gĩtutu wa Gataangũrũ is a comically wealthy land speculator attending the Devil's Feast. He profits by hoarding expropriated land and creating artificial scarcity, even proposing a scheme to bottle and sell air to the poor.

Kĩhaahu wa Gatheeca is a corrupt politician who uses bribery and violence to maintain power. He brags about creating European-style nursery schools strictly to extract money from wealthy families who wish to mimic foreign culture.

Nditika wa Ngũũnji is a black-market smuggler dealing in endangered animal skins and essential commodities. His ultimate pitch involves establishing a factory to manufacture human body parts so the wealthy can consume even more.

Kĩmeendeeri wa Kanyuanjii is a competitor at the Devil's Feast who outlines a plan to permanently imprison workers in factories. He intends to use religion and education to convince the laborers that their confinement is natural.

Satan manifests as a voice in Jacinta's head and a figure in her visions, representing the absolute corrupting power of foreign investment and capital. The voice attempts to tempt Jacinta into accepting the exploitative ways of the world.

The leader of the Ilmorog University Students' Association is a young man who hands Jacinta the invitation to the Devil's Feast. He is highly educated but uses his knowledge to organize against systemic corruption.

Jacinta's uncle is a man who prioritized his own financial advancement over his niece's safety. He essentially offered her up to a wealthy businessman to secure a lucrative deal for himself.

Jacinta's aunt took on the heavy responsibility of raising her young niece while the girl's parents were locked away in colonial prisons during the Mau Mau rebellion.

Jacinta's father was imprisoned by the British colonial regime during the Mau Mau rebellion. Upon his release, he discovers his land has been stolen, forcing the family to relocate and rebuild in Ilmorog.

Jacinta's mother survived imprisonment during the colonial era and later seeks out The Gĩcaandĩ Player to ensure her daughter's full story is recorded and told.

Wambũi is Jacinta's young daughter, born from her exploitation by an older man. She is raised by Jacinta's parents in Ilmorog while Jacinta attempts to build a life in Nairobi.

Gatuĩria's father is a wealthy local businessman whose cruel treatment of poor workers alienated his son, pushing the young man to reject the family business entirely in favor of an academic path.