Some of the characters in My Life in Crime are Jack Zollo, Miriam Nyambui, Anne Wanjiru, Captain Ngugi, Connie, Hirji, Mr. Stephano, Hellene Stephano, Karamikos, and Elizabeth Makarios.
John Kiriamiti a.k.a. Jack Zollo
Jack Zollo is the narrator of the novel. He becomes a criminal after getting expelled from secondary school. He is the protagonist. He is involved in a lot of armed robberies in Nairobi. With the way he keeps going back to crime and having to contend with law enforcement agents every time, he can be seen as a recidivist.
He escapes to Congo at some point. He returns to Kenya narrowly when he gets Hellene and Elizabeth pregnant, escaping with Mr Stephano’s one million and five hundred francs meant for the staff.
He returns to Kenya and continues in his life of crime. He is arrested on the eve of his wedding, along with other members of his gang. He is sentenced to twenty-four years behind bars with twenty strokes of the cane. He claims he is a reformed man at the end of the story.
Miriam “Milly” Nyambui
Milly is the girl with whom Jack falls in love after finding her lost school ID. She works for EAA and co-habits with Jack. She requests that Jack bring his two siblings to stay with her while he is in Congo. She warns Jack to leave crime and get something honourable to do. She presses Jack to marry her and he agrees but he is arrested on the eve of their wedding and given a jail sentence.
Anne Wanjiru
Wanjiru is Jack’s mother and a teacher by profession.
Captain Ngugi
Captain Ngugi is a friend of Jack who talks him into his first big robbery.
Connie
Connie is Jack’s sister, the first relative to come into contact with him after he runs away from home to Nairobi. She loves Jack the most, and from what the reader gets from Jack, she is secretive. Jack’s secrets are safe with her.
Hirji
Hirji is the Indian hotel owner who gets Jack a driving job with Mr. Stephano, the Greek millionaire in Congo.
Mr. Stephano
Mr. Stephano is the Greek millionaire for whom Jack works in the Congo. He treats Jack like his son during his stay with the family.
Hellene Stephano
Hellene is Mr. Stephano’s beloved daughter, with whom Jack falls in love and impregnated. She urges Jack to elope with her but he leaves her and escapes alone back to Kenya. She is Karamikos’ sister.
Karamikos
Karamikos is Mr. Stephano’s son, who welcomes Jack into the family as a brother. He loves the company of Jack. He gets Jack into a fight when he visits his African girlfriend.
Miss Elizabeth Makarios
Elizabeth Makarios is Mr. Stephano’s secretary, with whom Jack has an affair and got pregnant. She gives Jack the option to marry her, or she will commit suicide, as she cannot face the shame that is associated with giving birth outside of wedlock. She truly loved Jack.
Further Reading:
- Chapter 1 to 7 Summary of Kiriamiti’s My Life in Crime
- Plot Summary of John Kiriamiti’s My Life in Crime
- Chapter 8 to 14 Summary of Kiriamiti’s My Life in Crime
- Themes in John Kiriamiti’s My Life in Crime
- Memorable Quotes from Kiriamiti’s My Life in Crime
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