Women’s condition is a key issue in Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s novels. His works are often criticised for their inability to dismantle the patriarchal structures that keep women under male domination. Leaning on Marxism and womanism, the study establishes the link between the negotiation of women’s identity, their subordination and patriarchy to highlight its implications in the colonial narratives of wa Thiong’o. The results show that women’s subordination is consequent to the limits established by patriarchal norms and values. Moreover, in the colonial narratives of wa Thiong’o, women do not negotiate their identity in the sense of overthrowing the patriarchal system. Instead, they seek the homeostasis of the social conditions that allow them to express their femininity, even if this implies being subordinate to men.