In the land whose people lirango lie njofu (thigh of the elephant), there lived a great leader Namunyulubunda from the warrior-clan of Batukwiika Bakitang’a. He was a good man, wise and diplomatic who led the Bukusu in their path of migration at a time when the community was weakly united; an easy target for traditional Bamia and Barwa enemies.
The story of Namunyulubunda starts off back in time, just after mid-17th century. Here, several of Bukusu clans including Bamutilu, Balunda, Babuya, Bayemba, and Bamuki among others moved to live in Ebwayi (around Bwayi Hills). Batukwiika would cross River Malaba into the region following the dispersal wars that drove them out of Sikulu sya Bukusu (Bukusu Hill overlooking Tororo town). The Clan was under the leadership of Wakhulunya, a son of a prophet who came to inherit the throne after his brother did the unthinkable.
Bukusu history rememberers hold that Wakhulunya was the younger of the two sons of the great Maina wa Nalukale. His older brother was Namunguba, forsook the community when he engaged in sexual relations with the youngest of his father’s wives. Maina would leave the land, never to be seen again and Namunguba, being a public disgrace was rejected and dismissed from the community. Wakhulunya, the younger son, would win the heart of the community and assume to control the community comprising of several tribes. But his efforts to unify the community did not match that of his father, Maina wa Nalukale. (See full story on incest in a prophet’s household: http://dimplesnet.blogspot.com/2017/04/maina-wa-nalukale-kaaba-nanu.html)
At around 1789 in the household of Wakhulunya, Namunyulubunda was begotten as the first son. At around 1812 (the season following Mango’s circumcision), Namunyulubunda went under the knife in the age set of Bakolongolo “A”. As the first son of a community leader, he was taught his peoples way of life and so, how to unite the people for a good and harmonious living.
He became a very knowledgeable man, and brave in all measures. He knew some day, community leadership being hereditary; he would be tasked with leadership. At the time, each clan lived in a fort; build with security reinforcements in preparation for Barwa invasion. For example, Lunchu was the clan elder for Bakhwami and headed all the affairs in his fort and so on. Only 8 harvesting seasons later, in 1820, Wakhulunya the father of Namunyulubunda and grandson of Maina wa Nalukale breathed his last. The entirety of Ebwayi mourned for him for days and after the final rites, the elders accorded the leadership title to Namunyulubunda, his eldest son.
The times that Namunyulubunda rose to the apex of community leadership were quite peaceful. The wars had ceased, Bukusu life turned more sedentary and so the population increased exponentially. Dozens of forts had been built throughout Ebwayi and Mwiala. Nevertheless, Namunyulubunda as an apt leader saw life in a wider angle. Inter-tribal unity had declined and each clan preferred pulling towards its own way. A joint military formation was lacking that was not good for community defenses. In the wake of this military decay, Namunyulubunda rose to assemble community leaders for a united course. Despite this effort, the clans remained quite narcissistic, perhaps fooled by the short-lived peace and calm.
During the reign of Namunyulubunda, one day, it was noticed that in far off hills, persistent smoke would be seen. The people got curious of who might be living in those lands. Namunyulubunda, as a diplomatic tribal elder, gathered a team of Bayoti (scouts) led by the well-known Kitimule son of Wetoyi from the Bakitang’a clan. After a two-day sojourn, the reached the lands and found that indeed inhabitants were Bayumbu, Bukusu’s lost brothers separated during the dispersal wars of Silikwa decades ago.
This Tachoni community was headed by Kibulo who led a tribal fold of about 28 clans and practiced very peculiar practices (khulicha) adopted from other Barwa communities. Otherwise, their tongue was similar to that of Babukusu. It is said that Kitimule’s excessive inquisitiveness of their peculiar traits (including reports of cannibalism) earned him two toes off the left foot hence the adage; Reebanga Kitimule wanyoa Ebuyumbu (Ask Kitimule who went first in Ebuyumbu). A full narration of Kitimule’s diplomatic journey in Ebuyumbu can be found here: http://dimplesnet.blogspot.com/2017/07/reebanga-kitimule-wanyoa-ebuyumbu-ask.html). Otherwise being quite trifling in population, subsequent diplomatic missions led to their assimilation back in Bukusu community.
Back to the leadership of Namunyulubunda; as he was busy lobbying other clan elders to unite, disaster struck. Based on intelligence, Bamia Bapala and Bakariboko established that Bukusu defenses were weak; with most forts unmanned. They planned and launched lightening attacks that greatly destabilized Babukusu. From Mwalie up to Mwiala and Ebwayi, they went hard on Bukusu raiding kraals and taking no causalities.
Namunyulubunda gathered the surviving clans and few herds of cattle and headed southward towards the fort of Kitingia, his long term friend. Kitingia, an Omukhurarwa tribal leader, welcomed them and they built larger forts. Out of the painful experience, Babukusu united than ever before and furnished their military defenses. Years later, the community moved to Namatotowa then made for Muluwa. In their sojourn, from Muluwa, Namunyulubunda brought the people to Mundoli, near present day Sang’alo. Later, after prudent service to his people and their shaming payback of neglecting him, he joined his ancestors, a troubled man.
But why were events in Namunyulubunda’s old age more important that his whole reign? Affected with leprosy, the old Namunyulubunda got despised with his sons and community. Collecting his four legged stool and royal instruments of power, he arose and left. In the coming episodes, learn how this leprosious Bukusu elder landed in Ebukhone resulting to transfer of community leadership to the Clan of Bakhone…and the rise of the powerful colonial-era chief Sudi wa Namachanja.
A story is good, until another is told...
-Insights from F.E Makila
