Luhya People - Origins - Pre-colonial Period

Pre-colonial Period

Before the advent of colonialism, the Luhya, just as most other ethnic groups in Africa, defined their boundaries based on occupation of territory by a community of peoples with similar language, cultural traditions or under leadership of a particular ruler or king.

Their territory neighboured the Baganda, Basoga and Bagisu of present day Uganda, and the Luo, Kisii, (Gusii) Teso, and Nandi of Present day Kenya. The territory occupied by the 'Bantu' around Lake Victoria and to the north of Lake Victoria was known as Kavirondo. When the British came into the area, they coined the term Bantu Kavirondo to refer to the Luhya and other Bantu communities in the area while Nilotic Kavirondo was used to refer to the Luo.

On the onset of colonialism in Kenya, the Wanga were ruled by Nabongo Mumia. The Wanga kingdom was and is a derivative of the Baganda. It was the most powerful and centralized kingdom in the region. Other leaders among the Luhya were known as Baami (singular Mwami), a title translating to 'Kings' or 'Lords.'

The British explorer Henry Morton Stanley made a voyage around Lake Victoria and Joseph Thomson (explorer) the Scottish geologist passed through Luhya territory around 1883. Thomson met Nabongo Mumia and influenced British relations with the Wanga Kingdom in the region. The construction of the Kenya-Uganda railway beginning from 1898, further opened opportunities for European interaction with the Luhya and other communities in the western part of Kenya. Nabongo Mumia's dominion extended to other Luhya subgroups such as the Kabras and the Tsotso.

In the late 1800s, when European nations began their Scramble for Africa, they mapped African boundaries to suit their interests in the continent. With the lion's share of colonies going to the British, in 1895, the region of East Africa was declared to be a British Protectorate. It was further divided into British East Africa, (present day Kenya) and the Uganda Protectorate (present day Uganda).

As all the land in Kenya, west of Naivasha was mapped within the Uganda Protectorate, the Luhya people and other Kenyan communities were included in the Ugandan territory. In 1902, the boundaries were remapped and the Luhya peoples including the Wanga kingdom and their neighbouring communities which were on the eastern part of Uganda, were annexed to Kenya.