Wanga Kingdom

Wanga
Kingdom
The Wanga Kingdom is located in Kakamega County, Western Province, Kenya. Kakamega County is shaded red on this map
Tribal Kingdom	Kenya
Seat	Mumias
Government
• Nabongo	Peter Mumia II
Time zone	UTC+3 (EAT)

Part of a series on the
History of Kenya
Overview Timeline of Kenya List of years in Kenya
Pleistocene Koobi Fora Hominins Olorgesailie Aechulean hand axe culture Kariandusi prehistoric site Enkapune Ya Muto Nataruk
Neolithic Lothagam North Monumental Cemetery Kalokol Pillar Site Elmenteitan Culture Cushitic expansion Eburran industry Hyrax Hill
African Iron Age Sirikwa culture Bantu expansion Nilotic expansion Urewe culture Thimlich Ohinga stone-built ruins Shungwaya Mijikenda Kayas (Fortified settlements) Indian Ocean trade route
Swahili city-states Periplus of the Erythraean Sea Swahili people Swahili culture Kilwa Sultanate History of Mombasa History of Malindi History of Lamu Ruins of Gedi Jumba la Mtwana
Portuguese and Omani period Vasco da Gama Portuguese Empire Fort Jesus East African slave trade Omani Empire Said bin Sultan
British colonial period Johann Ludwig Krapf Imperial British East Africa Company Wanga Kingdom Nabongo Mumia Kenya-Uganda Railway Nandi Resistance German East Africa British East Africa Kenya-Uganda Railway Mekatilili Wa Menza East African campaign (World War I) Kenya Colony Mumboism Luo Union (Welfare Organisation) Harry Thuku Kenya in World War II Kenya African Union Jomo Kenyatta Mau Mau Rebellion Dedan Kimathi Tom Mboya Oginga Odinga Nairobi People's Convention Party The Kennedy Airlift Kenya African National Union Lancaster House Conferences (Kenya)
Early post-independence Shifta War Pio Gama Pinto Bildad Kaggia Kenya People's Union 'Little general election' Kisumu Massacre Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru Association Josiah Mwangi Kariuki Presidency of Jomo Kenyatta
Moi era Daniel Arap Moi 1982 coup d'état attempt Wagalla massacre 1992 Kenyan general election HIV/AIDS in Kenya 1997 Kenyan general election 1998 United States embassy bombings Terrorism in Kenya Presidency of Daniel Moi
Recent history 2002 Kenyan general election Mwai Kibaki 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum 2007-2008 Kenyan crisis Raila Odinga 2010 Kenyan constitutional referendum Operation Linda Nchi Westgate shopping mall attack 2014 Mpeketoni attacks Presidency of Mwai Kibaki Uhuru Kenyatta William Ruto Garissa University College attack October 2017 Kenyan presidential election 2018 Kenya handshake COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya Presidency of Uhuru Kenyatta
Kenya portal
v t e

Part of a series on the
Culture of Kenya
History Pleistocene Neolithic African iron age Swahili city states Portuguese and Omani period British Colonial Period Early post Independence Moi Era Recent history
People Historic peoples Koobi Fora Hominins Olorgesailie Aechulean hand axe culture Savanna Pastoral Neolithic Culture Eburran industry Elmenteitan culture Sirikwa culture Urewe culture Shungwaya Modern ethnicities Kikuyu Luhya Banyala Bukusu Gisu Idakho Isukha Khayo Kisa Marachi Maragoli Marama Tachoni Tiriki Samia Wanga Kalenjin Nandi Marakwet Kipsigis Elgeyo Tugen Terik Pokot Sabaot Luo Suba Kunta Kamba Somali Kisii Kuria Meru Mbeere Embu Teso Maasai Samburu Ilchamus Turkana Borana Sakuye Orma Rendille Gabra Sengwer Mijikenda Jibana Giriama Duruma Chonyi Swahili Taita Taveta Okiek Kenyan Asians White Kenyans Kenyan Arabs Diaspora Kenyan Americans Kenyan Australians Kenyan Britons
Languages Niger–Congo Bantu Swahili Kikuyu Kamba Ekegusii Kimîîru Oluluhyia Kipokomo Kigiryama Kiembu bajuni Nilo-Saharan Nilotic Dholuo Kalenjin Maa Turkana Afroasiatic Cushitic Rendille Somali Semitic Arabic Indo-European Germanic West Germanic English German Afrikaans Indo-Iranian Hindustani Italic French Italian
Mythology Bantu mythology Gikuyu Akamba Maasai mythology Kalenjin mythology Kit-Mikayi Luanda Magere
Cuisine
Festivals New Year's Day Mawlid Good Friday Easter Monday Lamu Cultural Festival Labour day Madaraka Day Eid al-Fitr Eid al-Adha Huduma Day Diwali Mashujaa Day Jamhuri Day Rusinga (Cultural) Festival Christmas Day Boxing Day
Religion Catholicism Anglicanism African Inland Church Quakers Judaism
Art Traditional art Wangechi Mutu
Literature Swahili literature
Music and performing arts Benga Boomba Genge Kenyan hip hop Lingala Ohangla Soukous Taarab Performing arts Kenya National Theatre Kenya Institute of Puppet Theatre (KIPT) The Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival Too Early for Birds
Media Television Cinema Nation Media Group Government agencies Communications Authority Kenya Film Commission Kenya Film Classification Board Kenya News Agency Television A24 news channel Citizen TV Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Kenya Television Network Tinga Tinga Tales Radio 98.4 Capital FM CRI Nairobi 91.9 FM Pamoja FM Radio Maria Newspapers The African Executive Business Daily Africa Daily Nation The EastAfrican Kenya Gazette Kenya Times The Standard The Star
Sport Athletics Kenya Football in Kenya Football Kenya Federation Kenyan Premier League Rugby union in Kenya Safari Sevens Cricket in Kenya Golf in Kenya
Monuments World Heritage Sites List of Monuments Lothagam North Pillar Site Namoratunga Thimlich Ohinga Ruins of Gedi Jumba la Mtwana Lamu Fort Siyu Fort Fort Jesus Tom Mboya Monument Dedan Kimathi Statue Baden-Powell grave
Symbols Flag Coat of arms National anthem Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu Coat of arms of Kenya
Kenya portal
v t e

The Wanga kingdom is a Bantu kingdom within Kenya, consisting of the Wanga (Abawanga) tribe of the Luhya people (Abaluyia). At its peak the kingdom covered an expansive area from Jinja in west to Naivasha in the East African Rift.^[1] The Wanga kingdom was a significant African empire and the most organized structure of government in pre-colonial Kenya politically, economically, and militarily.^[2][3]

In 2016 the Wanga numbered around 700,000, mostly occupying the Kakamega County, Western Province, Kenya.^[4] The seat of power is located in Mumias.^[4] The Wanga are one of 19 tribes of the Luhya people. There are 22 clans that comprise the Wanga tribe. The Wanga retain the Nabongo, as their monarch. The Abashitse clan holds the royal lineage of the Nabongo.^[5][6] The current Nabongo is Peter Mumia II.^[4]

The name Wanga is eponymous, originating from name of the kingdoms founder, Nabongo Wanga.^[7] The name Wanga refers to the people as well as their descent and geographical location.^[4]

The origin of the title Nabongo is uncertain, however Kenyan Historian, Prof. Gideon Were refers to the pre-Wanga ruler, Muima as "Nabongo Muima" indicating that the title may predate the formation of the Wanga Kingdom.^[7]

The early history of the Wanga Kingdom is unclear, with various conflicting traditions as to their origins. One tradition holds that they are descendants of ancient Egyptians.^{[1] [unreliable source?]} Their ancestors are said to have migrated, from Egypt to Ethiopia, where they were under the leadership of Simbi and Nangwera before moving to help form the Buganda Kingdom where they were ruled by the Kabaka of Buganda for many generations before relocating to Lela in the present-day Nyanza around the 10th century.^{[1] [unreliable source?]}

The kingdom was founded in the 16th century by Nabongo Wanga, a descendant of the rulers of the Buganda Kingdom. The Nabongo Wanga initially settled in Nyanza Province before moving the capital to Mumias, Western Province.^[8]

After the death of Wanga, there was a dispute between his sons over succession. Wabala, Wanga's appointed successor quarreled with his elder brother, Murono over succession rights.^[1] Wabala was assassinated in Bukhayo, allegedly at Murono's instigation. Murono was briefly Nabongo before Wabala's son, Musui defeated him in battle. Following his defeat, Murono crossed Nzoia River and established a separate centre near present-day Matungu around 1679–1706.^[7]

Nabongo Netya reigned over the Wanga Kingdom c.1760-1787. During this time there were several clans in the Wanga kingdom. They included Murono's clan on the right bank of River Nzoia, Abamuima's clan at Imanga (Between modern day Mumias and Butere) another at Matungu and Netya's in Elureko (modern day Mumias). Netya attempted to bring all these centers under his control with varying degrees of success.^[9]

During the reign of Nabongo Netya, land disputes lead to conflict between the Wanga and their neighbors like the Teso, Bukusu, Jougenya.^[10] Nabongo Netya is said to have struck an accord with the Uasin Gishu trading cattle and grazing land in exchange for Maasai military assistance. The death of Netya, c.1787 ushered in a period of increased external conflicts with the Maasai.^[7]

Nabongo Osundwa made peace with the Maasai and consolidated power in Mumias making it the administrative centre of Wanga while Matungu became the Nabongo's primary residence. Following the death of Nabongo Osundwa, a succession dispute arose between Osundwa's sons, Kweyu and Wamukoya, around 1814.^[7]

It is claimed that Osundwa's choice of Kweyu as a successor was actively contested by elders because they did not like him. They therefore enthroned Wamukoya in Kweyu's absence, a decision which Kweyu rejected and seceded to Eshimuli with his followers. Here, Kweyu established another center for his new Wanga Mukulu confederacy (upper Wanga).^[11]

Nabongo Shiundu inherited leadership from his father Nabongo Wamukoya in the 1850s and these are the years in which the Arab-Swahili traders arrived in Buluyia land.^[12] At the same, the situation was no better at Eshimuli where Kweyu had paved way for his son, Nabongo Sakwa to rule. Here, Nabongo Sakwa's main enemies included the Abanyala, and Ababukusu with whom the Wanga occasionally clashed over grazing land. Earlier during the reign of Kweyu, Wanga Mukulu had been repulsed from extending her authority over Abanyala and their Abatsotso allies. Thus, Sakwa fled to seek refuge in Kabras from where he was to be bailed by the Abarama.^[7]

Nabongo Mumia Shiundu (Nabongo Mumia) was the 17th Nabongo and became king (paramount chief) of an expansive region of Kenya at the beginning of British imposition of colonial rule in East Africa.^[5][6] Nabongo Mumia is regarded as the most powerful and well known ruler of the Wanga Kingdom, coming to power during the East Africa Protectorate in the 20th century.^[13] Nabongo Mumia Shiundu's rule was heavily influenced by an alliance with Arab/Swahili slave traders and conflict with the neighbouring Luo peoples which escalated after the completion of the Uganda Railway by British colonisers.^[14] Arab/Swahili slave traders formed an aliance with Wanga to raid neighboring tribes to be sold into the Atlantic slave trade including the Luo and Bukusu^[13] Constant conflict led Nabongo Mumia to collaborate with the British who made him a paramount chief of an expansive region of East Africa with various chiefs reporting to him such as Chief Chabasinga who managed Jinja, Uganda, Lenan Tenai who managed the Maasai and chief Odera Akang'o who managed Luo Nyanza.^[6][15]

In 1926, the new Colony and Protectorate of Kenya redefined the Wanga Kingdom's territory to be the equivalent of the modern Western Provence in Kenya today. This act led to the eventual loss of any meaningful political power the Wanga Kingdom had possessed, although Nabongo Mumia remained powerful and influential until his death in 1949.^{[16][17][18][19]}

During the colonial period, other tribes in Kenya such as the Kikuyu people, the Kamba people, the Kalenjin people under Koitalel Arap Samoei, and the Giriama people under Mekatilili Wa Menza all initially resisted British rule.^[20] Due to their resistance to colonial rule the British did not extend comparable influence in colonial Kenya during the Scramble for Africa, the British alliance thus led to the prominence of the Wanga kingdom.^[21][22]

The Anglo-Wanga collaboration and trade with Arab/Swahili slavers became profound at a time when most communities of north and central interior of east Africa were not affected by international trade. Other Kenyan tribes did not have any direct dealings with foreigners from the coast, and in most cases many were unwilling to welcome these foreigners into their societies.^[23]

The prominence of the Wanga kingdom led to rapid territorial and political expansion by the British in the later years of the 20th century in their quest to conquer Kenya. The British, in their later conquest of the region, found the centrally organized political and social structures attractive and supported them in order to get allies in the imposition of colonial rule.^[24]

In 1926, Nabongo Mumia was forced to retire by the British colonial government, he refused to take a 250 shilling monthly pension he was offered as compensation by the British until the colonial leaders threatened to arrest him. Nabongo Mumia died in 1949 and was succeeded by his son Nabongo Shitawa. Mumias was originally known as Lureko, but was renamed in Nabongo Mumia's honour.

Today Kakamega District is inhabited predominantly by Wanga people - one of 17 sub-ethnic groups of the Abaluyia of Western Kenya.^[7]

In recent times Mumias has been dominated by the sugar cane industry, with the Mumias Sugar Company Limited being the largest sugar manufacturer in Kenya,^[25][26] producing around 42% Kenyas annual sugarcane output.^[27]

In 2008 the Nabongo Cultural Centre and shrine was opened, preserving cultural traditions and artifacts. The grounds also house a mausoleum containing the graves of previous Wanga kings. The opening was attended by Nabongo Peter Mumia II, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, and ministers James Orengo and Fred Gumo.

• List of rulers of Wanga
• Luhya people
• Luhya languages
• Buganda
• Kabaka of Buganda