The Legend of Elijah wa Nameme: The Last one of Them

Via Prof. Julius Wangila Mukhwana (Australia, 2004)

 

This is a brief Story of an Omubichachi tribesman idolized by Dini ya Musambwa…

A man who took active role in the Liberation and declared a National Hero in late 2011…

A Bukusu seer eulogized by the New York Times Magazine…

It is estimated that Elijah was born between 1909 and 1911. Going by his biographer, Vincent Simiyu, wa Nameme was born at the end of the Khaoya- the rinderpest epidemic that gushed through Bukusu lands ending during the Kolongolo age set in 1910. He was born in Kibingei location and would lecture fellow herds boys on Kitayi Hills. Even adults would be fascinated with his stories on the Masaaba communities involving both Babukusu and Bagisu. 

Elijah Masinde, as would be popularly known became an agile boy, with full interests in soccer.  The son of Mwasame would rise to be a football captain in Kimilili and even in 1930 represented Kenya in the Gossage Cup in which Kenyan national team played against Uganda . At one point, reportedly walking through Ematukhuli, wa Nameme would kick a soccer ball heavenward, never to return again!

Ten years later, he would be a junior elder, residing in Maeni, taking charge of Dini ya Musambwa. He first split from the Anglican African Israel church forming Judah Israel Church and later formed Dini ya Musambwa.  He would sojourn to the Sikulu sya Maeko (Maeko Hills), Hills of Sang’alo (wa Mulia) and Mount Masaaba for his religious pilgrimage. 

He loved the old ways of life, teaching people and guiding them to heed to teachings of Wele Mukhobe we Bakuka. He also went up-stream to the sources of Rivers, Lwakhakha, Kibingei, Kibisi, Kuywa, and Kamukuywa for prayers and conduct traditional rites.  He would say, ‘Engelanio embi, bukhabe nga namunyu ...Do not go about imitating foreign cultures, you’ll turn into hyenas.’ Regarded by followers as a seer, he was gifted with powers of foresight. 

As remembered by his age mates, Masinde son of Mwasame went under the knife around 1928, just when the construction of the Kenya-Uganda Railway reached Bungoma. His age group was Machengo. Four years later he would marry Sarah Nanyama and later take another wife, Rebecca from lands of Bagisu that he frequented. Elijah would take four more wives that gave him 27 children.  

He would turn anticolonial, organizing local against the insurgency of British rule. Together with close peers such as Walukuke, Khasoya and Walumoli, he would organize frustrating moments to the dislike of colonial authorities. For instance, he argued followers to tear apart their IDs, and refute paying taxes. This Rebel with a Cause also adopted a strict code such as requiring priests to face away from congregation during religious service, mandating women to kneel in such so as to speak and general decency in female dressing. For instance, the author’s mother at one point would board a matatu with wa Nameme. It happened that wa Nameme chased handful women passengers for wearing mini-skirts! (while he also boarded the matatu, made by a Whiteman!)

Some people feared him due to his strange ancestral powers while followers adored him especially due to his stance against British rule.  For example, Enos Simiyu (bodaboda) witnessed an account at Maeni shopping center where wa Nameme pointed his staff at Moses Sangura, a shopkeeper in what was understood as a dispute. As the sun shone, suddenly heavy clouds formed and it started raining. Sangura, would as warned, rolled three times and by the time the rains subsided, Sangura had dropped dead! In a later account by Prof Mukhwana, Nameme would warn Masinde Muliro; ‘Muliro should have no
political association with Kenyatta because this man had brought too much blood shed in the country.’

Anyway, wa Nameme son of Wabomba omukhana omumeme, clan profound in giving seers, attracted colonial attention. Colonial DC CJ Denton declared that wa Nameme a threat to law and in lieu to Mau Mau league that continued to gain ground. In Kimilili, wa Nameme would attack Chief Namutala and later go into hiding. After being betrayed by his close friend, Omari Kuchikhi, wa Nameme would be found in a hole near Chesamisi. He was arrested on the Valentines of 1948. He was thrown into jail for failing to raise a bond of Kshs. 500. But he predicted that upon his release, Chief Namutala khwa Mayeku would no longer be chief and so it happened. Omusakhulu Omukananchi would later be send to Kamiti Maximum Prison and Mathari Hospital on accounts of being insane. 

Upon release on May 12, 1960, he would intensify his resistance, taking an active role in the KADU-KANU political formations. The Dini ya Musambwa, not declared an illegal sect. had gron in numbers up to West Pokot. Its members were also in danger such as 300 West Pokot followers who were jailed for 900 years! Masinde joined forces with freedom fighters such as Tom Mboya, Jaramogi Oginga, and Masinde Muliro. He joined KANU earning criticism from KADU affiliated western leaders. That is where he forged ties with Kenyatta who at one time visited his Maeni home. It is ironic, however, that the KANU government would ban the sect on October 24, 1968. 

Later serving a prison sentence at Kodiaga Prison in 1986, he developed health problems. He anticipated his death and even instructed Wafula his son where to be buried, beside Kumwirurusia tree. On June 8, 1987, at the age of 75, Elijah wa Nameme, a selfless religious teacher, freedom fighter and community seer breathes his last. Every June, Dini ya Musambwa followers make pilgrimage to his home in Maeni to pay homage to this great man. 

On August 29 2011, Prime Minister Raila Odinga would preside over a ceremony making Elijah a national hero whose selfless actions contributed to colonial repression.  As a hands-on seer, the legend of Elijah son of Mwasame will live forever as a Bukusu tribesman whose full history can fill a 1000-page volume. 

A story is good, until another is told

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