THE INFLUENCE OF THE ABAKHOONE CLAN ON THE SOCIO-POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF MODERN DAY LUHYA LAND

In the book entitled "The Luhya Nation" by Shadrack Bilimo (2006), he described the Abakhoone military as having been mighty and legendary. John Osogo (1965) in his book entitled "History of the Baluyia" said that of all the Luhya clans and subethnic groups, there is no one single clan that did more to shape the modern Luhya socio-political structure than the Abakhoone clan.

Osogo (1965) says that the Abakhoone were a large and very powerful clan that lived at the mouth of River Ndekwe. They arrived there around 1350 AD from Uganda  by crossing Lake Victoria. Their migration to this place was not much different from the migration of other Luhyas. The main difference between the Abakhoone and other Luhya clans was their approach to conflict.

While other clans or subtribes used to engage in mere skirmishes and taunts during war, sometimes with hardly any bloody confrontation, the Abakhoone introduced the concept of military warfare. Their military underwent training for readiness and service in the military was mandatory with men only being allowed to marry after retiring from the military. Their military doctrine was driven by both political and religious beliefs.

For example, the Abakhoone had a rule that only men who had married maiden girls as wives could have the privilege of having people named after them. Any man who died unmarried was simply forgotten. Nobody named people after him. Yet at the same time, men were required to serve in the military while they were unmarried except for the top commanders who served continuously even when married. Other married men could only serve as volunteers. They believed that naming children after a man who died a bachelor would make children named after him develop barrenness.

Secondly, in case of war, the men who commanded battalions took half of the livestock that was looted during the raid. This meant that the bravest warriors actually became very wealthy. They amassed livestock and also kept a large number of slaves to work for them out of the people captured during the war.

Due to these military regulations, Abakhoone warriors aspired to bravery during war. Foremost, they had to survive the battles and return home in order to marry on retiring from the army. Second, they demonstrated great valour and courage to gain promotion within the ranks to the post of battalion commanders. This ensured that abakhoone warriors fought for nothing but to win.

As mentioned earlier, the Abakhoone introduced the concept of warfare in luhyaland. They could organise their attacks in formations and were great tacticians. Their warriors could sustain a war for long periods without running out of personnel, supplies or weapons due to their logistical operations. In fact, the Abakhoone believed that they were unconquerable no matter how the enemy armies combined or whether they were attacked by surprise. They always won.

The Abakhoone armies were organised into units akin to today’s army battalions known as "Esipondi" and there were several barracks across the kingdom of Bunambo. There was a battalion stationed at Budubuusi near the modern day Ganga town in Funyula constituency. Other battalions were stationed in Bukoma, Marenga and Ikobo. The fiercest, and most distinguished battalion was designated to the “Opetu” (This was title of the King of Bunambo) and was stationed at Ndekwe near the present day Budala primary school. It was here too where Mufuula, their one-eyed general lived.

From the time of their arrival in Bunambo, the Abakhoone fought and expelled a plethora of clans from this area. They expelled the Abalanda who are now found in areas of eastern Uganda, Marachi and Navakholo in Kakamega. They expelled the Abakokho, Abakhaala, Abayobo and Ababongo. The Abalusere too were expelled into the modern day Yimbo location in Siaya where they are today called Jalusere. The Abakangala, Abadecho, Abasia, Abalemesi, and several clans that constitute the Kabras subtribe and very many other clans that have occupied several parts of Luhya land also faced expulsion. These clan wars persisted for almost three centuries until all the clans in Budalangi held a secret war council and employing guile and poison attacked the Abakhoone, taking them by surprise and leading to the final war of Ifunikho.

During this war, the Abakhoone were scattered to the four winds. They, however, fought and defeated very many clans along their migratory routes from Bunambo after the war of Ifunikho or Eshiatikho (emigration) as it is sometimes referred to. For example, they fought and defeated several Marachi clans such as Ababere and Abafofoyo at Ikonzo, Eluliba and Mabunge areas in Busia; they fought and halted the southward migration of the Teso which is why the Abakhoone border the Teso in the settlements of Tanga Corner, Elwero, Akeng'a and Alupe in Busia. They also halted the Teso migration into Luhya land at Malakisi and Lwakhakha in Bungoma

In summary, due to their military prowess, the Abakhoone clan single-handedly shaped the socio-political arrangement of the modern day Luhya land.  The organization of the Abakhoone military will be outlined in a future article.