THE ABAKHOONE IN LEADERSHIP: CHIEF NABUTOLA

Bakhone’, the clan of the late paramount chief John Nabutola

Members of bakhone clan of the bukusu sub-tribe are currently mourning the death of the late paramount chief john Nabutola. This is one of the greatest clans among the bukusu people that have produced very prominent leaders in this nation. The late paramount chief up to his death has been the chief adviser in the bamarukwa association (a brotherhood association) among the bakhone clan.

Members of this clan usually praise themselves saying that they are members of the bakhone bariti bamarukwa barariita lubafu, basingila biili. They call themselves bariiti bamarukwa because in the ancient days when they were still staying in Bunambo (current Budagalngi constituency), leaders came from this clan and no other person from a different clan would lead them. So they are bamaarukwa because they believed they were unconquerable having ruled Bunambo and dominated all the neighbouring chieftaincies for over 400 years.

The term bariiti used to refer to their imperialist tendencies to conquer and absorb other principalities in their Bunambo kingdom. But today Bakhone people call themselves bariti because they were able to assimilate foreigners into the clan without discrimination. For instance, at the ban of slave trade in the world, slaves who were deported at elureko (Mumias) were to be taken by members of their clans, but some remained without anyone caring for them. This made Namachanja the first paramount chief in bukusu land to take all returned slaves without discriminating them and made them to be part of the bakhone clan.

‘Basingila biili’ means that the leaders among the bakhone people valued addressing any gathering from a raised ground. A leader could address his subjects while standing on a hillock (sisiili), for the people to see and hear them properly. 

(For the history of abakhoone and how they came to settle in Matayos, Bungoma and other places away from their oroiginal homeland of Bunambi in modern day Budalang'i, see the topic on the "war of Eshiatikho" on this blog.

It is true this bakhone clan has produced very prominent people in this nation, who had featured not only in local administration but also in the church. For instance the late Cardinal Maurice Otunga is a legend in the Catholic Church. The famous Cardinal Otunga of the Catholic Church was a son of Sudi and cousin to the late paramount chief John Nabutola.

Henry Kere, one of sudi’s sons was chief for the former East Bukusu location and went to LEGCO as an MP during the Whiteman’s rule in the pre-colonial Kenya. The late Sylvester Otunga was brother to the late cardinal who was the first mathematician in luhyia land who had published several works with whites. Another brother to Cardinal Otunga called Nabangi Sudi was once an assistant chief during his lifetime.

The current assistant chief for Mateka sub-location Mr. Nabangi is a member of bakhone clan. Members of bakhone clan have spread in most parts of this country including Mateka (Tulumba), Musikoma, Kabula, Luyekhe, Kaduyi, Netima, Chebukwa, Chesamisi, Kimalewa, Mwikhupo, and Ndalu. All these areas where bakhone are staying have regional chairpersons in charge. There are some who remained at bududa in Uganda, matayos (Busia) and akeng’a in Teso. The overall national chairperson for bakhone clan is Mr. Leo Wanyonyi, a cousin to the late paramount chief John Nabutola.

The late paramount chief Nabutola was an aggressive leader who contributed towards the establishment of Nzoia Sugar Company and the Webuye pan paper factory. He was son of the late Gabriel Mukanda, omukhone (father) and Nachaki, omuchemwile (mother). He was born at Chebukwa village but later moved to Mateka where he died from last week.