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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 8, No. 6

Publication Date: June 25, 2021

DOI:10.14738/assrj.86.10204. Mukhule, C. (2021). The Abakhayo Origin, Clans and Traditions. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 431-450.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

The Abakhayo

Origin, Clans and Traditions

Chrispinus Mukhule

Researcher/Author

ABSTRACT

“Old soldiers never retire but wane away” (military saying). Upon retiring from the

Kenya Navy and having weighed job opportunities available for me in the market, I

settled for farming and research on the Abakhayo communities. The Abakhayo sub- nation is a group of Abakhayo clans who today occupy Bukhayo locations in Busia

County, Kenya. These are Bantu, a group of Luyia people and Nilotic speaking

groups, who came from all over Africa and settled in Ebukhayo and became known

as Abakhayo with the adoption of the Abakhayo system of marriage and philosophy

of life. For a long time the Abakhayo leadership style and literature have remained

undocumented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to showcase traditional

Abakhayo systems of governance using the Abakhayo sub-clans as examples. The

author’s interest and concern in the research of Abakhayo history was necessitated

by the Abakhayo desire to have a book detailing the migration of the Abakhayo for

the benefit of present and future generations. That is why I dedicated my effort and

discipline researching on The Abakhayo origin, clans and traditions. The Abakhayo

first book aims to give the reader access to the Characteristics of Omukhayo,

Ebukhayo leadership and economic empowerment, Ebukhayo season and naming

concept, Abakhayo family, community military veterans, Abakhayo traditions and

Impact of religion on the lives of the Abakhayo people. An account is given to the

migration of the Bantu and Nilotic speaking groups who came to Busia, Kenya from

various parts of Africa through Uganda and Ethiopia. Consideration is given to the

nilotics such as Luo, Iteso and Seebe who came and lived alongside the Abakhayo

and adopted the Lukhayo language and the Abakhayo traditions. All the groups

became jointly called Abakhayo but each evolved as a separate community as

discussed in the study.

Key words: Genesis of the Abakhayo people, Abakhayo major and minor sub-clans,

Sickness and treatment, Traditional tools and weapons, Characteristics of Omukhayo,

Leadership and economic empowerment, Season and naming concept, Abakhayo family,

Foodstuffs, Traditions and the effect of Christianity on the lives of Abakhayo.

CLAN STUDY BACKGROUND

“Engendekho ebulebe, abetsanga nende esimuilayo”, meaning, nothing happens without a cause

or purpose in Kikhayo. In this background section therefore the study gives a brief outline of

known Abakhayo clans living in Bukhayo Locations or Wards of Nambale and Matayos sub- Counties. This story is not so much about our ancestors themselves but also about an era in the

lives of Abakhayo kinsmen who have lived in Busia County and some parts of Uganda, Tanzania,

Namibia and Democratic Republic of Congo for many years since their settlement in the regions.

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 8, Issue 6, June-2021

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Khayo, the son of Were Khayo, led the original Abakhayo groups, namely, Abaguri, Abakhero,

Abamenya, Abade, Abarebe and Abakimo from Ibanda in Uganda to Bukhayo in Busia County

through Port Victoria in Busia, Kenya around the 18th Century. Other than the founding clans of

Bukhayo other Bantu and Nilotic groups settled among them are collectively known as

Abakhayo. Abakhayo share linguistic, cultural and historical values with other Luyia (Luhya)

groups within Busia County such as Abamaraki, Abasamia and Abanyala. Kiluyia (vernacular)

language is spoken.

Statement of the problem

The clan chief elder in the Abakhayo community was usually a respected and recognized

person. He used persuation and bestowed wisdom to keep the community together. He was not

paid any salary except voluntary gifts offered to him by his subjects. The type of government of

the community was such that each person had his role to fulfil. It was a communal society and

not an individual oriented one, where some are alienated. The young and the old, the able and

the disabled, the firm and the infirm, had a part to play, so there was a great sense of unity and

security.

With the advent of the British administration, the clans were fixed in locations and sub- locations. As a result, the location as an administrative unit became synonymous and identified

with the dominant clan hence muddled up the names of the clans and locations. The study tries

to analyse the office of the Omukhayo leader, which had been used for advice for many years,

now became the centre of authority and deterioriation of the positions of the colonial chiefs

when they were expected to enforce laws regarding the recruitment of labourers and porters

during the First and Second World Wars (1914 and 1939, respectively) as well as during the

building of the Kenya-Uganda railway line.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the research was to examine and unravel the past historical patterns, kingship

ties and cultural practices of the Abakhayo people in order to come up with a writen reference

material. Since Daniel M. Wako’s books, Abaluyia Bemumbo and the Western Abaluyia and their

Proverbs did not cover my field of research and after failing to get what had been written about

the Abakhayo in the Kenya National Archives and bookshops, I had to rely heavily on oral

interviews in order to produce comprehensive historical information which formed the basis

of the study. The study therefore gives a licid explication of the origin, migration and settlement

of the Abakhayo people in present day Busia County and elsewhere.

Objectives of the study

The objectives of the research led to some predicative relationships whose provisional

conjecture was either to confirm or unconfirm the known Abakhayo sub-clans living in Bukhayo

locations of Busia County, determining the historical background of the Abakhayo community

and their migration to their first settlement in East and Central Africa, creating a macro

language spoken by a cluster of closely related Abakhayo sub-clans, the role christianity played

in Bukhayo through its network of educational, health, vocational training and evagelisation of

natives.

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Mukhule, C. (2021). The Abakhayo Origin, Clans and Traditions. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(6). 431-450.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.86.10204

Significance of the study

The findings of the study are beneficial to Abakhayo people because they now know why

several sub-clans living in Bukhayo, Busia County and speak any of the various closely related

dialects are called Abakhayo, the formation of the Abakhayo clan after the creation of Luyia

tribe in 1943, the major and minor sub-clans in Bukhayo and the Abakhayo Nilotic groups. The

study demonstrates the ability of the Abakhayo in rain making activities, the effect of

assimilation trend during migration time and the findings of the study provides an appropriate

community cultural material in an all-inclusive and sustainable manner. The study serves as a

great resource for students of literature and history alike. Therefore, this study makes

significant contribution to the preservation of rich knowledge about the Abakhayo that would

otherwise be lost through attrition.

Scope of the study

The research used both primary and secondary data to test the hypothesis developed in the

research. Primary data was collected using visits and oral interviews while secondary data used

in the research was obtained from books and journals. Respondents were chosen from the

Abakhayo living in Busia, Nambale, Teso, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, Mt. Elgon, Bunyore, Siaya,

Kisumu, Migori and Kisii, all in Kenya and lastly those of Bugiri, Lubino, Mbale, Busia and

Tororo in Uganda and Tarime in Tanzania.

Limitation of the research

Though this study is limited to Abakhayo of Busia County, the present locations where

Abakhayo have settled indicate that Abakhayo people extend beyond the Busia frontier into

other counties with some having kinsmen in neighbouring countries. Lack of cultural reference

books and other materials as source of information for the research and non-availability of

Cultural Centre for Abakhayo community in Busia County to organize and hold traditional

events are major problems hindering cultural teachings. Lack of market for finished products

due to poverty levels amongst the community members who are the main target group and

non-willingness of the youth and stauch Christian believers to cultural issues contribute

negatively on research effort. Lack of funding is a major setback for self-sponsored researchers

and self-publishers.

ABAKHAYO SUB-NATION

“Okenda kala yola ebunyolo” meaning determination to do and complete something is more

fruitful than rushing it, in Lukhayo. The study of Ebukhayo sub-nation shows that Bukhayo was

sparsely populated by scattered Bantu and Nilotic speaking groups. By the 18thcentury, there

was significant migration of other Bantu-speaking peoples into Ebukhayo from eastern Uganda

through Bunyala. The movement and settlement of more than 30 Abakhayo sub-clans living in

Bukhayo is widely discussed in the study. The study traverses time from the ancient to the

present life of Abakhayo. Accounts are given from real life experiences and wise sayings from

the original traditions with their literal and free translations. Photographs of real scenes and

people spice the work.

The Bukhayo founding clans

History asserts that the Abaguri clan which is considered the largest in Bukhayo migrated from

Ethiopia to Uganda led by their ancestor Mandu Sindu, accompanied by his sons, Guri, Muganda

and Kholi Musoga between 15th and 16th Centuries. After Mandu’s death at Emasese olukoba