MAJOR WARS IN EBUNAMBO (EBUKHOONE)



1710- Banyala vs Bakhoone: The king Bunyala was Makanda I of the abamulembo clan who had formed a coalition of 30 other banyala clans including Luos. The king of Bunambo (abakhoone) then was Mutsuba. The Bakhoone defeated Banyala in humiliating defeat with a few weeks of war
1750 Odende, Khagono & Ndong'a wars - Bunyala vs Alego
1750 - 1770 Siadikho Part 1 -Bakhoone vs Basamia & Basinyama vs Basamia: Abakhoone defeated Abasamia and occupied the areas North of river Nzoia of Marenga, Bukoma, Lunyofu, Bukani, Mudembi, Budiera and Bumadea.
1770 - 1780 Post-Saywa formation of Bunyala "War Groups", ie Abamukwambo, Abakhuuri, Abaalwang'a, Abapondi, Abaofu (Abakhoone) & Abarula. The King of abakhoone at this time was Makhoola.
ALSO Formation of Samia war-groups- Ababburi, Abadongo, Abatabona and Abakhulo
1780 - 1800 Various wars between the Abasamia war groups vs Abanyala war groups mentioned above. The king of abakhoone at this time was Opetu Mutsuuba.
1800 - Major War (Major SIADIKHO or Eshiatikho) between all NYALA war groups vs BAKHOONE -- BAKHOONE were at last expelled from Bunyala after 450 years of their imperialism after this war (with their sympathizers). The king of Abakhoone at this time was Opetu Owado. The Commander of the Abaofu (Abakhoone army) was Mufuula-the one-yed giant of man who was extremely brave and gifted in war strategy. He was such a fierce warrior that when he died,  the area across river Ndekwe became known as Buofu (blindness) sub-location in memory of the one-eyed brave warrior that he was. It is said that whenever he threw his spear it never missed. The key lieutenant generals of the Abakhoone army (the abaofu) during this war were: Matsaaba, Esakha Simyula, Ndubulire Ekwachi, Mira-Yaywa and Khudu Mbaye. Other notable warriors among the abaofu battalions were Mukhuunza, Khadodo, Duduuka, Ekobi,Odaba Otunga, Wakoko among others. Khudu Mbaye was such a great warrior that today he is considered a legend because he used to face enemies without a shield. In fact most enemy battalions could simply flee in panic at the news that they were about to face Khudu Mbaye. The abaofu (abakhoone) warriors were organized in different battalions. A battalion was known among the abakhoone as “esipondi”. They had Esipondi of Mudembi area which was commanded by Esakha Simyula. Esipondi of Marenga area commanded by Khudu Mbaye. Esipondi of Erukala commanded by Matsaaba, Esipondi of Bukoma under Otunga ,who is the great great grandfather of Chief Sudi Namachanja the father of Cardinal Otunga, Esipondi of Lunyofu was under Ndubulire Ekwachi, Esipondi of Namabuusi was under Mukhuunza and several others…these were the famous battalions all under the command of General Mufuula while Opetu (the king) was called Opetu Owado.  Each Esipondi (batallion) has a total of 500 to 600 warriors. The warriors only got married after serving in the army that is in their late 20s or  thirties.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE CHWEZI ORIGINS OF THE ABAKHOONE CLAN

The people of the Chwezi Empire were known as AbaChwezi . The word "chwezi" means "lawgiver" or “ruler”. The abachwezi were believed to be having divine powers and therefore were capable of performing miracles. The Chwezi Empire's most military belligerent ruler was Emperor Ndahura I kya-Rubumbi [known in Rwanda as Ndahiro , and in Buganda as Ndaula ]. Ndahura had a royal kraal on Rweisamba Hill that overlooks the crater lake known as Lake Kikorongo , in what is now Busongora County in Kasese district (the seat of the modern day Busongora Kingdom), in the Republic of Uganda. In 2012 Lake Kikorongo merged with the larger Lake Matsyoro [a.k.a Lake George], but is still visible on account of its perfectly round banks despite being flooded by the larger lake. Ndahura was a warrior-king and empire-builder, and so he was constantly leading his armies into battle. One day while on an expedition, Ndahura and his guard unit had become separated from the ...
Read more

THE LINEAGE OF CHIEF SUDI NAMACHANJA

Most of you might have come across distorted historical material claiming that Ekobi, the great grandfather of Chief Sudi Namachanja was a wondering Mutura boy who adopted by a barren wife of  wealthy Mukhoone man by the name Otunga. I have personally come across this kind of talk and I find it to be misleading. I have also come across some Bakhoone in Bungoma claiming that Abakhoone came from Uganda into Matayos in Busia. This is also wrong. Below I will present to you the family tree of Sudi Namachanja which stretches several generals back as it was documented by R.T.K. Scully of Hartwick College in 1970. I will start with the the Sirwa because the others I had mentioned them in an earlier post entitled "The Genealogy of Abakhoone". Sirwa the father of Membwe. Membwe the father of Wekesa Wekesa the father of Kayoyo and Bilachi Kayoyo the father of Bule, Otunga and Wakoko Bule the father of Ekobi Ekobi the father of Khisa, Mukwana and Mabonga Khisa the father of ...
Read more

ABAKHONE AND ABANYALA WERE DIFFERENT ENTITIES

BUNAMBO KINGDOM Bunambo Kingdom was located largely in today's Southern and Western Bunyala. The immediate neighbour of Bunambo the East was Buongo. To the South was Yimbo location. To the West was Lake Victoria and to the North was Samia. Part of Bunyala south is drained by four major rivers, namely, Nzoia, Ndekwe, Namukhongo and Obaro. Rivers Nzoia and Yala formed swamps which are extensively irrigated agricultural areas with rice as the most ideal cash crop. Other important physical features in Bunambo are hills, valleys and plains. The most significant hills are Mwita Fubu, Singwe, Nanjuku, Nzalagobe hill, Wanga, Munjogo and Namenya hill. Bunambo also has a number of Islands namel Sumba, Sigulu (today it is in Uganda), Nabuduma and Khanete. The Abanyala are Bantu-speaking people of northern Bantu group/cluster commonly referred to as the Luhya. The term Luhya has been claimed to mean 'fellow clansman'. Osogo (1966:7) in the entitled The History of Buluhy...
Read more