We, ‘mbaa’ Matee came from our 5th generation, great great grandfather who was called Mutwa’iembe. Mutwa’iembe begot Mwithui, who begot Ndutu, who begot Mutwa’ithele, who begot Nganga, who begot Matee. Matee begot ten sons, and eight daughters.
Mutwa’iembe was born during the famine of stars. We have no record to reckon when this famine took place. But, using a margin of erro of twenty three to twenty seven years, which is a normal period between a father and his third born, assuming he married at the age 23 to 27 years, we can estimate the birth of Mutwa’iembe to have taken place at about 1796-1799, which was at the turn of 18th Century. I have arrived at this date by using the estimated birth dates of my father Peter Matee which is 1923 and that of Muthiani Nzongolu Nganga, the first born of Nganga Mutwa’ithele, which is about 1916. Using these two birth dates, I have calculated backwards twenty three to twenty seven years, in order to estimate the birth date of Nganga the father to Muthiani, and Matee. Based on this simple scale, these are the dates of my forefathers: Peter Matee, at the dawn of (1923), Nganga Mutwa’ithele, (1894-97), Mutwa’ithele Ndutu, (1871-74), Ndutu Mwithui, (1848-51), Mwithui Mutwa’iembe, (1824-28), Mutwa’iembe, (1797-1803).
Mutwa’iembe was brother to Mala. He also had two half brothers called Kitutu and Kathethe. Through the years, the Mala family maintained a close affinity to Mutwa’iembe. According to my father, Matee, the ‘mbaa’ Mala separated from the Mwithui family, at about, late 1990. We have no information of the other two families; Kitutu, and Kathethe. They most likely went back to Kikumbulyu, Taveta, or Upare which is where their forebears came from.
From the Mala generation came the family of ‘Mbaa’ Muasa, and ‘mbaa’ Ilala who once lived at Kithamani, the current homestead to the Matee family. According to the family records, after ‘mbaa’ Ilala abandoned the property and migrated to the slopes of Maatha hills, due to mosquitoes, invesion from the newby Ititu plains, the property fell into the hands of ‘mbaa’ Kaula Ngiti, who later on, bequeathed it to his son Kivindu. Kivindu later on sold the property in small portions to Matee and Sammy Kinyumu. Mutua Kivindu, the only born of Kivindu, currently owns the remaining small portion of the property next to Kinyumu Ndambuki. The title deed for this property at Kithamani, Ng’etha Sublocation Mulala is plot number 62.
The land transaction on this piece of land between the Mala, and the Mutwa’iembe family gives us a good case study of how land property tied together families into strong kinship. Using the case study of this property, and on how it exchanged hands, from one family to another, we can see how close family affinities exitsted among traditional Kamba people families. We can also notice how these affinities were perpetuated down the family line, from one generation to another. Even today, among the Kamba people, land property is first sold within familiy members before it is listed to the ‘awanda’ outsiders.
Mutwa’iembe also had other half or distand brothers ‘anaaithe’. These were ‘mbaa’
1. Mukilandii
2. Kiwa
3. Mukelelya
4. Nzili
NB: We have very scanty information about the whereabout of these four families. It is most likely that some migrated to the bourderline areas of Mbitini and Mukaa. For example, we have a family of Kinyae who served in the 2nd WW with my father who lived on those sides of Masue located between the borderline of Mbitini and Mukaa. Kinyae and my father traced their family geneology back to Mutwa’iembe. We had another family from Mutwambua areas of a (mbaa) Wambua. Counselor Maluti of Ivingoni Kambu also comes from this family. I Chuma got to know this family, during my short stay at Kambu. The brother to Wambua was a prominent A.I.C Pastor who ministered at Machakos Municpal area for many years. One of his sons was allegedly murdered in one of the most canal and bizzire killing in that city. This pastor Wambua led a delegation of his AIC Church to Kabaraka to visit President Moi some time early in 1990. During the visit, it was said that Moi asked him if he can help him in any way. He told Moi about the tragic death of his son. Moi directed the top government secret service to open the file on the death case of his son. The death case was several years old. The investigation went on with no avail.
It is also possible that some of these lost households remained, or relocated to their main dispersal areas like Mukuyuni in Kikumbulyu, Kibwezi East, or, Taveta Nzukini areas (Kavaita), or even Upare (Mbale) inTanzania. Family geneology was pretty much passed orally and so, these families whereabout were most likely known to most of our forefathers, only that their information was not recorded. The little family history we have today is because my father, Matee, upon returning from the 2nd WW, he managed to visit a few of the older members of the family like Kaula Ngiti, Lele Sila, Muli Mutwa’ithele, Nganga, Kituku wa Ndive, and Malalu Mukonze among others. From these elders, he gathered some family geneology of about three pages long, which he passed to me. I have, through the years, made, continued to do family history research by way of nterviewing family members and by keeping a current family journals.
Migrations within the Eastern, Southern and Central part of Africa were a thing of norm among Kamba family groups due to their exploratory way of life, and also possibly because of other internal and external reasons like draught, and family conflicts. Suffice to say that, migrations among the Kamba peope during these years, were, a cultural norm, and because of this constant movement, many families are unaccounted for today.
For example, we have these households of Nziki, and Nganga Kivuu, and the households of Nzyuko, Mutula, and Moki who branched off from Mutwa’iembe, and now live on those far distant bourder line regions of Mbitini and Mukaa. From Kithumani, and Mwambwani, regions, we have the house holds of Lazaras Kivuu, and Norman Mwania, among other small households who all related to Mutwa’iembe, and his forefathers. While attending Secondary school at Ngoto, I got to know many family members who desceded or related to our forefathers. The family of Mukolo ‘wa’ Wungu, was brought from Masue by our great grandfather Mutwa’ithele.
Today the generations of Mutwa’iembe ,who for some reason reckon themselves after Mwithui and not Mutwa’iembe, cluster themselves into four distict households; ‘mbaa’ Mutwa’ithele, ‘mbaa’ Kinyenze (Kakima), ‘mbaa’ Kaula, ‘mbaa’ Lele and ‘mbaa’ Mukolo. We don’t know why, we go by the name of Mwithui, but maybe, for some reasons, the name of Mwithui, stood out for possible reasons like; for being brave, large, or wealthy. These attributes were essential in those days for their protective nature from internal and external threats. Whichever the case may be, these four households proudly reckon themselves with this great man whom we know little about except afew facts which I will continue to point out on this unfolding family history.
THE GENERATIONS OF MWITHUI
Mwithui begot Ndutu, who begot, Mutwa’ithele, who begot Nganga, who begot Nzongolu Muthiani, Thomas King’oo, Peter matee, Stanley Mutule Masila, Mutuku, Daudi Nganga,Mwololo, and Nyamai Kinyae.
Mwithui also begot Ngiti, who begot Mbao, who begot Kaula and his two other younger half brothers who were: Kisambuli and Kamula. It was said that Kamula’s wife was barren and so he did not have children from his wife. Kaulas elder brother was killed by a Maasai worrior called Kisulu during those Maasai cattle raids. From Kaula came Kivindu Nzui, Munyalo, Mulwa, and Kiswii. Ndutu, and Ngiti, were ‘mundu and mwanaa’ithe’ half brothers.
Kisambuli begot a daughter called Nzuvu, who begot three daughters, Ndangwa and Kanuu and another one married to Nthiwa the father to Kamuti. Ndangwa is mother to Elija Musomba, Alice Mwikali Kimweli, Katuli Kamuti, and Kanuu.
NB: Mbai Matee mother inlaw was said to have come from the loins of Kamula.
Due to short mortality rates in those days, it was the custom among the living members of the family to inherit the wives of theirs half brothers or distand and close cousins, (Anaaithe) who passed on, because of diseases, or, other disasters. This explains why we have many households in our family who traces their direct heritage to Mwithui. Kaula used to refer to my father Matee as ‘mwanaasa’. We therefore know for certain that, we shared one common heritage from Mwithui in some way or the other. I Chuma Matee talked to my father intensely in order to glean any information I could get to piece together this family history lineage.
The only sons of Mwithui we know of were; Ndutu (1845) and his younger brothers Kitutu (1847) and Kathethe (1852). Ngiti was most likely their half brother. Ngiti begot Mbao who begot Kaula father to Kiswii and Mulwa. We have no record of the households of Kitutu, and Kathethe. They most likely relocated to Kikumbulyu, or the other dispersal areas like Taveta or Upare in Tanzania.
From Mwthui sprang the family of Nzuma. His wife was called Kitete. She was captured from Upare. (Mbale) Tanzania. From Nzuma came Malumandia who begot Mutuku, who begot Mutio. Malumandia was actually born in Tanzania. He later on moved back to Kitandi Mbitini. He was educated by the Germans while in Tanzania, and he became one of the few literate people in the entire community. My father Matee knew him. He used to write letters for the colonial Assistant chief Mukolo ‘wa’ Wungu who worked under Chief Nthenge of Nzaui. They would stick the letters to a pole, and have agents sent it to different areas. He returned back to Tanzania where he later died. Jackon Mutie Mwongela has full information of this family and where they settled in Taveta Region of Nzukini.
From Mwithui came also the family of Kithei who begot Kivingo, Waita and Kisule. Kivingo’s wife was called Mwelu, ‘mwiitu wa mbaa Ndoo’. Kisule wife was called Mutheo daughter of Makiti. Kisule died in 1937 at Kitandi. It was said that he used to steal Nganga’s goates to pay for his bride price. When he died his wife Mutheo moved back to his people. Kivingo family lived at Kitandi between the land of Joseph Musyimi Lele and Ee’ndoo the father to makiti and Musyoka. Ee’ndoo, comes from the family of ‘mbaa’ Ndungo and Kivila, which also comes Pastor Kimeu and his brother Kimwele. Before ‘mbaa’ Kivingo finally moved and settled in Tanzania, they disposed their ancestral land to ‘mbaa’ Muli Mutwethele, who bequeathed it to his son Wilson Mwongela who later sold some portion of it to Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki. The property is currently settled by Ndunda Kinyumu. Kivingo later moved to Taveta. My father Matee associated with them over the years. Jackson Mutie Mwongela knows where they are. Mutie has followed the migratory instinicts of our ancerstors by relocating to to Taveta where he practices some modern agriculture.
MBAA ILALA
This household of (mbaa) Ilala, branched off from, (Kwa) ‘mbaa’ Mutwa’iembe in earlier years. They told my father Matee that they lived at Kithamani where Matee’s homestead is located today. They settled down at Kithamani as soon as the Maasai raids calmed down following the onset of the colonial government in late 19th Centurly. That was as soon as the completion of the costruction of the East African Railway from Mombasa to Kisumu took place. The colonial Government used the Rail road as boarder line to separate the Kamba and the Maasai. This separation resulted to less cattle raids between the two tribes. They later on settled at ‘Kiima kya Maatha’ Maatha hill. Below are the four househols of (mbaa) Ilala
1. Nganga Kivuu
2. Muasa (whose family lives at Kiima kya Muuni
3. Nzenge
4. Ngutha
NB: At about 1929-1937, Nganga Mutwethele and Mwelu with all their children migrated to ‘Kiima kya Maatha’Maatha hill, not far from where Mwalili lives today. Some family of ‘mbaa’ Sila a long with Maseki, the nephew to Lele, also settled at Maaatha hills at this same period. Maseki is buried at Maatha. It is said that the famine of Kakuti took place during this time. My father was bearly six years old. It is the same year my mother Nthenya and my fathers little sister Mutave were born.
NDUTU FAMILY
It is possible that Ndutu had several wives, and from the first wife he begot three sons. The first born was Kiuluku, the second born was Mutwethele, and the third born was Munyai who was lost in Upare Tanzania. Upare in Tanzania was one of their many dispersal areas where his forbears had migrated from before settling down first at Mukuyuni at Kikumbulyu in Kibwezi East, and there after settling in at the upper eastern slopes of Mbitini hills at ‘Kiima ‘kya’ Taiti’.
Possibly, from his second wife, Ndutu begot also three sons. The first born was Muli, the second born was Muthiani, and the third born was Kamuti. We have no record of Muli. It is possible he relocated to KIkumbulyu, Taveta, or Upare in Tanzania. Constant migrations to and from, were things of norm in those days. It is reported that Kamuti died young and left no generation.
Muthiani was in essence a ‘muthiani’ a Kamba ward fro a ‘spy group’ which was closely affiliated to another Kamba secretive organization or ‘combination’ group called ‘Kingo’le. This group used to spy the Maasai invaders. King’ole was also a Kamba people governing council which dealt with all arbitration, and administrative issues affecting the community. It was said that Muthiani stabbed himself to death on his naval after he cut himself with a poisoned arrow, (ivai) and knowing for certain that he was not going to survive, he then killed himself. It is also possible that he was set up to cut himself. I say this because the same King’ole later on shot his brother Mutwethele with a poisoned arrow. Mutwethele survived the attempted assassin and with help from his family and inlaws, he relocated to Mukuyuni in Kikumbulyu Kibwezi East. I should admit that Iam not positive which event took place first, the death of Muthiani, or his brother Mutwethele. Muthiani was a ‘muthiani’ along with Kituku father to Ndive, which Ndive was father to Nzomo, who is father to Kitonga, Kaleli, and his younger brother, the Late Wambua.
Mwanikanthi also belonged to this King’ole. He was the son to Mwa’Mbindu, ‘ala nimo me mbaa’ Kivila and Ndungo. Pastor Kimeu and his brother Kimwele comes from ‘mbaa’ Ndungo. It is recorded from my father that, Mwanikanthi killed my grandfather’s (Mutwa’ithele) daughter, who was sister to Ndunge. This daughter of Mutwa’ithele is the one who took all the cows of his father as soon as he was shot with a poisoned arrow by this King’ole, and relocated to Maatha hill. Her elder sisterNdunge lived at Maatha hill. Ndunge was married to Tama, (wa) Kyuma, which Tama was father to Mutulo. It is very most likely that this Mwanikanthi was part of the conspiracy group of King’ole which attempted to kill my grandfather Mutwethele. The motive was to still his many cows. It was said that he was very wealthy.
These are the sons of Ndutu
(1) Kiuluku
(2) Mutwa’ithele
(3) Munyai (lost in Tanzania)
(4) Kamuti (died young)
These are are the Generations of Kiuluku who was son of Ndutu
Kiuluku begot two children. The first born was a daughter called Nthemba. The second born was a son called Kinyenze. Kinyenze was nicknamed Kakima, hence ‘mbaa’ Kakima.
NTHEMBA THE FIRST BORN OF KIULUKU
She was married at a place called Mutiswa. Her marriage ran into trouble. She returned home at Kitandi to live with her people (wendo). She had a son called Ngolosi. He died at Mutiswa. The second son was called Kithuku. Kithuku lived close to Wilson Mwongela. When he died the wife moved to Taveta. My father Matee was the agemate of Kithuku.
THE SONS OF KINYENZE KIULUKU
1. Kiswii
2. Muthiani Nzongolu
NB: Kinyenze married a wife called Koki from (‘kwa’ mbaa) Ngoi Muthyeume village Nzaui, not far from where Nduku daughter of Kasimu and Munyiva mwiitu (wa) Nganga lives today. They begot only one born son called Kiswii. Kinyenze died after that. According to the Kamba customs and traditions, Kenyenze wife Koki was given to Nganga Mutwethele, a young man from the household of Ndutu. From this relationship between Nganga and Koki, was born Nzongolu Muthiani. In the family records, Muthiani was called son of Nganga, which he was, because he was sired by Nganga. But he was also a son of Kinyenze, because, his mother was married to Kinyenze.
GENERATIONS OF KISWII AND FIRST WIFE NGUSYE
1. Mulwa Ivuku
2. Amos Mbwetediseased)
NB: Ngusye was the daughter of Nduto from the household of (mbaa) Katuma. They lived at the slopes of Kiima kya Taiti. Ngusye was commoly refered to as Ng’anduto, meaning the daughter from the family of (mbaa) Nduto. Tungele is married to Munyao ‘wa’ Lwaya and they lived at Kiima kya Nzaalani. Muluki was married and lives on those sides of Nzaui Hill.
Generations of Mulwa Ivuku
1. Kinyenze
2. Nyamai (fundi)
3. Other children will follow up
Amos Mbwete
He was educated early in life and worked as a District agriculture officer in many parts of Kenya. I got to know him a little bit while teaching at Kambu and visited with him at Kibwezi where he practiced a little agro-farming. He had a small orchard where he planted oranges. This inspired me to start a family orange orchard at Kitandi. Before this later ancounter, I knew very little about him. Mbwete for some reasons I don’t know, never visited his Mbitini homestead where his first wife Suzan and and second wife Mueni lived. The only memory I had about him as a child was when I was below ten years old. He had a little old model Motor Bike which he occasionally came home with. I was never to see him until in my later twenties.
Amos Mbwete had several wives. The first one was called Susan Wayua. The second was called Precilla Mueni, the third wife was called Ziphora Nduku, and the fourth Esther. Wayau commonly known as Susan within the family and Mueni were very loving and generous woman. On the night before I left for USA for studies, Wayua came to see me. She told me that she wanted to see me because “who knows, it could be the last time I would see you a life”. And it came to pass that, she died shortly after that while I was still in USA. She did not look very good that evening when I saw her last. Wayau comes from Makindu, while Mueni comes from Mwala. Like my wife Kyeni, Mueni was a big woman. Both were not blessed with children of their own. She later adopted a son called Mohamed. Mohamed ancestry is of the Borana origin, of Marsabit Isiolo District.
In the early seventies, Mbwete brought Mohamed, a long with two other adult men from Borana ethinic group. Mohamend was still young, probably twelf years old. Mbwete got to know them while working at Marsabit District, as an Agricultural officer. Later on, the two adults returned to Marsabit Isiolo District, while Mohamend remained. It was said that, because of the nomadic way of life of his people, it would have been a futile attempt to locate his family. Because of his tender age, Mohamed was easly assimilated into the Kamba way of life. Nevertheless, as a child, he still retained some nomadic personality traits. He continued to love cows and was protective of all form of livestock. Later on, at some point, he was traditionally adopted by Mueni. Mohamed married a daughter to Masarufu and Katuli, and they begot several children. His wife died early.
The third wife to Mbwete Ziphora Nduku hailed from Machakos. She was educated and she was involded in many community projects at Kibwezi town and also at Congo village Kambu where she had her rural home. I got aquainted with her while working at Kambu. I visited with her severally at her Bee Keeping project at Kibwezi town. Mbwete loved his children and educated most of them. Koki’s mother was a loving woman. She told me that, the only time she was to ever step at Kitandi was for my wedding only. While this statement was a vote of confindence on my intergrity, I still felt that, she was deeply hurt in her feelings. We all make bad choices. The worst choices we can make are those which have a long term effect to our close members of the family.
NB: Muhamed was married to a daughter to Kinyumu and and Ruth Katuli. Kinyumu was always refered to as Masalufu. Katuli is a daughter of Malalu and Wambuli. Katuli is also a brother to Kilundo, which Kilundo was married to a first daughter of Mbithe called Malinda. Malinda was a daughter of Nganga and Mbithe. Mbithe was a daughter of Mwanikanthi, from the family of ‘mbaa’ Ndungo and Kivila. Pastor Kimeu comes from ‘kwa mbaa’ Ndungo and Kivila. Muhamed wife is now diseased. As sister to Mohamed wife is a daughter called Mueni who was my classmate at Ngelenge primary school. Katuli and her husband Kinyumu lived next to his elder brother Kamuti Nthiwa. The mother to Kamuti and Kinyumu springs from the loins of Lole father to Mwelu, mother to Peter Matee.
Amos Mbwete and Susan Wayua
1. Juice Mwikali (1958)(diseased)
2. Ndinda (1960)
3. Richard Wambua (28th Nov.1962)
4. Joseph Kiio (1963)(diseased)
5. James Mwania (1966)
6. Albert Mutuku (1972)
7. Nthenya (1976)
NB: Ndinda got married and settled in Kambu, a small village called Congo, not very far from the late Mbiti Cosmas.
Mutuku bought a land at Makindu where his mother hails from, and built a good house and began a family. He later relocated back to Kitandiand bought another piece of land close to the Nzomo Ndive family. Wambua and Mwania practice mixed farming at their small farm at kitandi. Like his father, Wambua is a trained Agricultural Extension officer. The late Kiio, worked as a Seconday school teacher. He later settled at his ancenstral lands at Kitandi. He lives close to ‘mbaa’ Kinyenze (Kakima) which are actually his offsprings from Kiuluku who is the father to Kinyenze, the grandfather to Mbwete. Kiio is married to one of the daughters of Soo. The last born Nthenya is married to Maasai land.
MUTWA’ITHELE SON OF NDUTU
The name Mutwa’ithele was not a given name. It was a name traditionally given by his peers, as was the custom among the Kamba people. His given name is not actually known. It is said that he was a large man. Some of the elderly men in my generation, who happened to know some people who associated with him, held him with great ewe and reapect. For example, I was honored to get acquinted to one older generation man called Mbava son of Mulinge. His is a half brother to Kimuyu Ngulu. I went to visit one of his grand-child, called Mulinge Kamaa. Mulinge was my class mate and a friend. After I introduced myself, as son of Matee, he suddenly became excited. He talked very highly about my great grandfather Mutwa’ithele. For the first time in my life, this single experience opened a small window into the mysterious life of the unknown life of my great grandfather. I was left to conlude that his name must have been held with ewe, fear and respect among his peers. Why so, it still remains a mystery. I can only say that, he remains an enigma to me even today. This sense of fear, ewe, and respect might in some way point to the reason some people wanted him dead. We can also learn something little about his personality and strength on how he survived this assassination attempt.
Our great grand, father was a man of great means and wealth among his community. He was a brave man who protected his people against the Maasai raids which were very common in those days. His forebears most likely migrated from Kikumbulyu some time in the turn of 18th century, while he was probably still young. They later settled in the eastern fertile plains and slopes of the Mbitini hills. It was said that he owned some huge tracks of land which included the entire kiima kya Taiti and the larger plains of Nzeeni. Mutwa’ithele was shot with a poisoned arrow by a ‘Kingole’, and Akamba secretive group.
It should be noted here that, the Kamba people did not have a centralized form of government. Unlike their cousins the Agikuyu, who had a strong centralized government, the Akamba and especially, those from Kangundo, Masaku, Mbooni, Kilungu, and Kikumbulyu, did not have any formal system of government, but instead they had this ‘King’ole’ which served as a governing council. All the instruments of authority and power rested upon this ‘secretive’ group.
‘King’ole, was comprised of an age group called ‘Nthele’,which was made up of a section of physically strong and able men, who constituted another upper echlon group called called ‘Athiani’ spys. This group wielded a lot of power. They controled all the inter-regional slave and Ivory trade routes, which covered the interland of the whole Central parts of Kenya going all they way to Lake Victoria, Lake Turkan, and Rift Valley areas of Kenya and the Coastal Towns of Mombasa, and Malindi. Kamba trade routes covered as far as the whole central parts of Tanzania and especially, the Unyamwenzi region all the way to Congo forest.
Mutwa’ithele, his half brother, Muthiani, his son Nganga, Kituku (wa) Ndive, and Mukonze father to Nyali, all belonged to this groups of Athiani and at one time or the other participated in this inter-trade routes. According to my father Matee (wa) Nganga, his father Nganga went as far as Unyamwezi.
When my grandfather was shot, he never died on the spot, but, he took his family in the night, and went to his son in law called Eekati of the household of ‘mbaa’ Kyuma. These inlaws escorted him up to Kiboko. Eekati is the great grandfather to the former counselor Syukati, of Mbitini. From Kiboko, together with his family of three wives, two daughter, and three sons, he relocate to his ancestral lands, a place called Mukuyuni, in Kikumbulyu, Kibwezi East. It is here where he is burried. Eekati was a ‘muthoni’ his son in law. I was told that his homestead at Mukuyuni is not far from where the colonial Court house was located. Mutwa’ithele family now lives at a village called Kalungu in Mukuyuni.
Mutwethele had three wives and begot no sons, but begot several daughters but no sons. It is said that, Mutwethele went for fight against the Maasai cattle raiders at a place called Sukutwa not far from Masimba. They raided some cattle and captured three boys. Because he had no son, intead of cows, he requested to be given the three young boys. These were; Nganga, Muli, and Kamuti. He gave each wife a son. It is said that Kamuti died young. Nganga and Muli later married and each had his family.
Of the several daughters to Mutwethele, only four are metioned. One daughter was mother to Mutiku and kasiki. The other daughter was mother to Nthuku and Kyungu. My mother told me that dad used to invite Mutiku at Kitandi and would slaughter a bull in honour to this great grand son of Mutwa’ithele. From Kyungu and Nthuku were born great men, two of which become chiefs in the region. We can see that, there was something of greatness and leadership in his blood. The third daughter called Ndunge was married to Tama of ‘kwa mbaa’ Kyuma. Kyuma was father to Tama, who was father to Mutulo. The fourth daughter was killed by a man called Mwanikanthi, who is father to Kioko, which kioko is grandfather to Mwambindu.
Tama, father to Mutulo, was son inlaw (Muthoni) to Mutwethele. He was married to a daughter of Mutwethele called Ndunge. They lived at Muuni hill. A sister to this daughter of Mutwethele Ndunge, when her father was shot by the king’ole, a Kamba secretive group, she took all her father’s cows to their kyengo, near this ‘Kiima kya’ Maatha hill. This was close to her elder sister Ndunge who was married to ‘(Kwa) ‘mbaa’ Kyuma. The generations of this daughter still lives at Kiima kya Muuni between Kimeu Ndungo and Mwini. Others have migrated to Ngwata and Kambu areas. I Chuma Matee got to associate with some of them while teaching at Kambu. I particularly knew one son of Mutulo Tama.
It was said that Ndunge was tending to her father’s cows at Kitandi at a place called Kwa Maleve when Mwanikathi shot her with an arrow and killed her. Kwa Maleve is not very far from the present Kitandi Market. The axact place is at the present Daudi Nganga ‘Muundani ’farm. It is said that, there was a big (Mukuyu) fig tree. Not sure if it stands today, but I doupt it. That is where he shot her with an arrow and killed her.
This man Mwanika belonged to this AKamba people secretive organization called king’ole. King’ole was Akamba government institution meant for protecting the people. But it was not always so. Like all other government units, conspiracies did exist. Suffice to say, Mwanikanthi conspired to kill this beloved daughter to my great grandfather Mutwa’ithele. An unkown person, who was at a distance, overheard her pleading with the killer that she would give him all the cows if if he spared her life, but he proceeded to kill her in cold blood.
The case is still standing and no settlement has been reached. These are the words of my father Matee ‘Whoever gets the opportunity should pursue the matter in order to seek justice for our daughter’. I think at some point we should seek reddress on the case.
It is possible that the same person behind the death of this sister to Ndunge, was the same person who earlier conspired and killed her father Mutwa’ithele.
It appears the reason why it became harder for our forefathers to persue the case against the assailantof their daughter was because, Mwanikanthi, further conspired with Kaula, Mukokolo and Kasomo to arbitrate a customary marriage between his daughter Mbithe and Nganga. This was done in order that, ‘mbaa’ Mutwethele could not seek justice through ‘Kithitu’, the fearful and dreadful Kamba oath. By succeeding to convince Nganga to marry a daughter of the man who killed his sister was intended to fuse the blood of the two families together so as to diffuse the potency of the ‘Kithitu’ oath.
Looking at the manner in which Mwanikathi won the symbathy of these elderly men, it is possible, that he was a ruthless, curning and most likely a dreaded man, in the community. We have also reliable sources of information that (mbaa) Ndungo were actually a ruthless people. There is a story going back a distant past, that one (mbaa) Ndungo killed a man in cold blood and threw him inside a burning Kheel (Ndumbia).
Suffice to say that, while it is alright to speculate things, we will probably never get to know what transpired between Mwanikanthi and these elders. What we can is, to draw some conclutions that; may be for the sake of peace or may be out of fear for their own lives, these three elderly men; Kaula, Kasomo, and Mukolo were corced to arbitrate a forced marriage, between Nganga and Mwanikanthi daughter Mbithe.
After killing our daughter, Mwanika went for (nzama ya Kingo’le) meeting at a place by the former homestead Lele and Kasule. It is said, there was a huge (Yiumbu) tree, and next was a small forest called ‘kathekakai’. That is where ‘Kingole’ used to meet. There Mwanika asked his members of the ‘king’ole’, group to (Kuthambiwa Uvyu). Meaning, asking them to ‘clean his sword’ from the blood of the woman he had slain in cold blood. This was a simple Kamba ritual or rite to swear not to betray each other. It involved killing a cow and roasting meat and eating together and performing little libations.
Tama ‘wa’ Kyuma was a ‘ngumbau’ brave man. No kingo’le could take his cows from him. It was said that, the kingo’le brewed a strong beer for him, and while he was drunk, they dressed in war clothes and went and killed this daughter of his inlaw Mutwethele.
Saffice to say that, this daughter to my great, grandfather, was killed by this man called Mwanikanthi, father to Kioko who was father to Mwambindu of ‘mbaa’ Kivila, who are from ‘kwa mbaa’ Ndungo ‘ala nimo me’ Pastor Kimeu and his brother Kimwele. The other brothers moved to Taveta. Nzangya wife to Wilson Mwongela is from ‘kwa mbaa’ Ndungo. Jackon Mutie knows the other branch which moved to Taveta. ‘Mbaa’ Kivila, like our ‘mbaa’ Sila, were known to be rude. (ngulu).
Before he was shot by King’ole, Mutwa’ithele lived at Nzeeni, on the foot side of ‘Kiima kya Taiti. Today Nzeeni would be at Kithumba village, Nzaui Division, Makueni County. My father told me that his actual homestead which included all his three wives was not very far from the present Nzeeni primary school. My father claimed to have seen the the remnant of, the cooking stones, (Matheo). Unfortunately, he died before he showed me the actual site. It was in this place that he was shot at by the King’ole.
Some family relatives of Mutwa’ithele like (mbaa) Kithei, and his sons Kivingo, and Waita, retained some pieces of land on the region. When Nganga returned from kikumbulyu, he not bother to reclaim the ancesteral lands of his father which include the whole (Kiima kya Taiti), and also huge tracts of the fertile land at (Yanda). (Yanda) is the family name for the fertile valley stretching all the way up to Manooni Dam to the lower slopes of this hill (Kiima kya Taiti).
Upon returning from the 2nd World War, my father tried to reclaim these ancestral lands, but they were already occupied by other people for quite a long period. Nevertheless, he managed to buy out little pieces of property here and there. He told me that he bought his pieces of land from the family members like (Mbaa) Waita, who later on moved to Taveta. Waita comes from Mwithui familu. Several of Nganga house holds, like King’oo, Stanley Mutule, Mutuku, and Kanuku Nganga, kept their pieces of land for growing crops like sugarcanes and Casava. When the land was finally surveyed by the government some time in the early seventies, my father redeemed the whole piece of land in one single title deed plot number 642. A big part of it was used as a play ground for the nearby Primary and Secondary schools. My father later on disposed the property to the Nzeeni Lion Club High School in 1999.
The forefathers of Mutwa’ithele, most likely migrated into Mukuyuni located at Kikumbulyu in the present Kibwezi East, Makueni County from another distand dispersal area. Such earlier dispersal areas could have been areas like; Upare (Mbale) and the regions around Mount Usambara in the present Muheza District, Tanga Region of Tanzania.
Muheza is a small district in the North East of Tanzania, 40 kilometers inland from the port of Tanga, and about 100 Kilometers south of the Kenyan border. Muheza occupies the foot hills of the East Usambara Mountains just on the edge of the coastal plains.
The Daiso, (Daisu), or Kidhaisu, population in Tanzania is close to 5000 people. They are related to the Kamba people and their lexical similarity is 32%. Historically, the Kamba people settled into the western Tanzania (Unyamwezi) by way of the Usambara mountains, into Eastern Kenya. My grandfather Nganga and many of his relatives went to Unyamwezi during those days of inter-ivory trade between the Akamba people and the Coastal Arabs. This is one key reason that makes us trace the origin of our forefathers to these regions.
I have also mentioned how Mukonze father to Nyali, and Kituku father to Ndive, brought many of their families from Tanzania. A big number of the ancesters of the whole ‘mbaa’ Kyuma father to Musomba were brought from Tanzania by Mukonze. It appears that Mukonze was a great man in his community. I have been told that he was a ‘Muthiani’.
Mukonze cames from the same generation of Kyuma father to Tama, who was father to Mutulo. This was the same generation of Mutwethele, his brother Muthiani, and Kituku father to Ndive, who is fater Nzomo.
Mwithui household, belonged to a section of a larger Kamba sub-group called ‘Ngulya’, whose remnant also settled on the east slopes of Mt.Kilimanjaro . They also spread out across the opposite slopes of Kyulu Hills, This group was later removed from this area by the Germans in 1914, to give way to Chaka people. Another evacuation was later carried out, by the order of the Carter Commission in 1930 when my father Matee was still in school. This group was settled at Kiboko to give way for the creation of the Kyulu and Tsavo West Game Reserves. Years later, in the early fifties, my father following the footsteps of his forebears, relocated to this region of ‘Nzukini’ near the bourder plains of taveta and the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was here that he practiced small scale farming. He told me that he grew figure millet. He left the area following the declaration of emergency in Kenya by the British Colonial government in 1952. Jackson Mutie Mwongela has more information of the place my father settled, including the exact time and period. I have been told that some of his tools like plough are still there. I look forward to visit the region for to meet some of the Kithei family and get some information of the region.
I need to point out that, the Kamba people did not exist during this time as distinct nation, as we know it today, but rather, coalesced around a bigger language speaking group called the Athagichu, or ‘Athaisu’which included the greter part of all the Bantu speaking people of the Central highlands and the Eastern plains of the present Kenya. These smaller groups were; Agikuyu, Kamba, Meru, Tharaka, Mbeere, Ndia, etc. Some sub-tribes of this major language group still live in Tanzania in the present Mbwiti Location, Muheza district Tanga Region Tanzania. The other small sub-tribes settled in the larger eastern, coastal, and Centrall parts, of the present Kenya.
Again, from this major language speaking group ‘Athagichu’, which has mysteriously disintergrated over the years, came all the central Kenya and Eastern Bantu speaking nations. They straddled the eastern plains of the present Kenya, all the way south of Taveta (Kavaita) county including all the spralling plains east of the Usambara region of Tanzania. Taveta came from the Kamba phrase ‘Kwitwa ita’ which translates to quenching hunger. They used to go in search for food during famine time due to those long caravan trecking between Upare and the easternparts of Kenya.
It shouls also be noted here that poor means of food production due to limited knowledge and also lack of better skills of farming contributed to this migrations. These means of food production were not self-sustaining, hence promoting a lot of intermittent migrations driven by the search for greener pastures and food.
Through a close look into this extensive historical period, we can see that our people withered many storms, maintained small family units, which were interwoven around family kinships, but which also did not coalesce around a distinct nation as we know them today, until sometime later on. And because of the many natural upheavals, like natural plagues and epidemics that beset my people, the mortality rate was very high and this necessitated development of certain cultural norms which helped to hold the families together into strong kingships. This explains why some of the most able members of the community used to go after their kinship, who had migrated and wandered to other distant regions and who were in dire need. Family rescure missions were very common.
A good example in this case was how Mutwa’ithele went and brought the family of Mukolo back from Masue, and how later on, Kaula, Mukolo, and his ‘mwanaa inya’ Kasomo went and brought back lele Sila and a few of his siblings from Kavondoni on the western slopes of of Nzaui hills not far from the present Nziu Market. Some of the grand sons of Lele are still privy to their ‘Maanzoni ’ (ancestral lands) at kavondoni . In 2013 I talked to Ndambuki Musuna and he told me that the Lele family was aware of it.
Mutwethele had three wives. He begot several daughters only. One was called Ndunge and was married to ‘kwa mbaa’ Mutulo ‘wa’ Tama. Another daughter was killed by Mwanikanthi at a place called ‘kwa’ Maleve. She was killed while she was tending to her father’s cows, after he escaped to Mukuyuni Kikumbulyu Kibwezi soon after he was shot with an arrow by a Kamba secret group called King’ole. The other two daughters migrated to Mukuyuni a long with their father Mutwe’ithele. One of them was mother to Mutiku, and the second one was mother to Kyungu. Peter Matee kept a contact with the Mutwa’ithele family at Mukuyuni, Kikumbulyu in Kibwezi.
In 1946 when Matee returned from the 2nd World War, he began to purchase some family lands from Kivindu Kaula. Today, part of Matee Nganga live at Kithamani, Kitandi village, Ng’etha Sub location, Mulala Division, Nzaui District, Makueni county. His second household, of his second wife Susana Kimuyu, moved to Mwaini Nguu, in early 1970, and later in 1977 relocated to Kyulu hills, Mutitu Andei location, Kibwezi District, in Makueni County
Mutwa’ithele brought Mukolo from those sides of Mutwa’ambua. Mokolo begot, Nzomo. Mukolo was a sub chief to Chief Nthenge. Mukolo brought Andu ma Kilungu to Mbitini. Mukolo used to take tax to Machakos. They used to stage at a place at Ukia not far from river Kaiti. He became friends with these people of Kilungu and invited them to come and settle at Mbitini. These are the families Mukolo brought from Kilungu; ‘Mbaa’
1. Sumbi
2. Mumbe Maliti
3. Makenga which settled near Kinyoo
4. Kithyoma husband to Mutave daughter to Nganga.
People of Kilungu, or Akilungu were a distinct Kamba group. They referred the other Kamba people as Avaau. They used to skin other people alive to scare them from settling around their area
GENERATIONS OF NZOI
The family connection between Nzoi and mwithui family appears to go far beyond Mutwa’iembe. We have no clear records linking Nzoi and Mwithui. The family of Nzoi, or his forefathers, most likely separated themselves from Mutwa’iembe a few generations back
The only family records we have which links the Nzoi family and the rest of the Mwithui family is through Lele the son of Sila. My father got this information from interviewing his forefathers Kaula, Mukolo, Kasomo, and Lele himself. This story talks of how Kaula, a grand son of Mwithui and his ‘Mwanaainya’ Kasomo and Mukolo ‘wa’ Wungu, went on a resecue mission to Kavondoni to bring Lele and a few of his siblings. Kavondoni is located in the lower western slopes of Nzaui hill not far from Nziu market. From this rescue story, we know that Sila family was experiencing a life threatening wrath (Kithitu) from his neighbours. It is most likely that (mbaa) Sila had lived in this place for quite a period of time. Some time during the time of Lele, it is claimed that the family shot and killed a pregnant woman belonging to another clan. We have no information as to what circumstances led to that unfortunate incident. Most likely than not, it was to do with internal family disagreement, stemming from either accusations on witchcraft, or land disputes. It is alleged that, out of these disputes, the Sila family shot a pregnant woman with an arrow. After shooting the woman, they ‘mbaa’ Sila, guarded the woman against her people until she was completely devoured by the vultures (Nthei). This act angered the family of the slain women. That clan then cast the Kamba oath, (Kuingia Kithitu) on the ‘mbaa’ Sila. It is most likely that, several members of the Sila family perished except Lele, his twin sister Kakondi, his younger sister Mumbua, and a distant young nephew called Maseki. To save the family from the stig of this deadly wrath, or oath, ‘Kithitu’, Kaula Ngiti, a grand son of Mwithui, and Kasomo, son of Mbithi, along with and Mukolo son of Wungu, went to the aggrieved family and performed a cleansing ceremony according to the Kamba customary laws. This ceremony was to a peace the gods of the offended family. They also paid whatever they were required of.
From this family rescue record, we can surmise that, Kaula, Mukolo and Kasomo went on a rescue mission for a son of their own. People did not go to rescue ‘awanda’ outsiders. While Kasomo family does not belong to the same clan of Mwithui family, which is (Ambua), yet he was a half cousine (mwanaa’inya) to Kaula; both their mothers were sisters. These two half brothers Kaula and Kasomo were very close. Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki and Joseph Musyimi Lele maintained the same close relationship over the years. I Chuma Matee had very close relationship with George Matata Musyimi.
Therefore, Kaula, Mukolo, and Kasomo, went and brought lele from Kiima Kya Nzaui from a place called Kavondoni Ngutwa. Lele was brought along with a twin sister Kakondi, a younger sister called Mumbua, and a distant cousine called Maseki. Maseki was very young probably less than ten years. I asked my father why (mbaa) Sila killed the pregnant women, and he simply told me that ‘mbaa’ Sila ‘mai ngulu’ were rude people.
It is said that, in the year 1920 there was a very big farmine in the land. This famine caused big hunger, and sicknes, which claimed Maseki life. As was the custom in those days, they took him and threw him outside the family homestead and took a few branches and put on top of his body. In the morning somebody overheard a child crying. When they went to check, they found that Maseki was still a life. They took him and gave him porriage and he got better. He grew big, but another famine followed several years later and he was sold to Mbale Tanzania as was a common in those days. Many children were sold by their parents during this period of time. Kamba people used to go to Mbale to fetch food (kwinza yua).
Some time later on, after a period of about ten years, Maseki escaped and found his way back home to Kitandi village. He was received by Kaula. He was given a small land at a place called Thiaa in Kitandi, not far from ‘Kwa’ late Musyimi Lele and Mutinda former Kitandi homestead, between Musyimi and Kwa mbaa Eendoo. Maseki wanted to live a stable life, and in order to do that, he needed cows to pay the bride price. Together with a friend, they went at night up to Mwambwani, on the highest point of Mbitini hills called Kalumbi hill to still some cows. The woman came out from her house, and in the thick of darkness saw what she thought was somebody standing out. She called her husband and told her that there was a person outside. When her husband, got out, he said it was a log of tree. He pulled his arrow and aimed at the log. Unfortunately it was Maseki. The arrow hit him on his forehead. The man then went back and told his wife that it was just a log of tree. Maseki’s friend pulled out the arrow from his head. They then waited until the family slept and went a head and stole away several cows.
He brought the cows and paid bride price to his wife called Musuva. Maseki and Musuva had a small piece of land next to Thomas King’oo. The piece of land later exchanged hands and now belongs to Wanza Ndolo. It is not far from the big ‘Yiumbu’ tree next to present piece of land used by the Thomas King’oo Nganga family.
Maseki, and his wife, later on, after the Maasai raids settled down, and during the famine of Kakuti, in 1929, migrated to Maatha in search of better land and pastures. During this famine, several families of Mbaa Mwithui also moved to Maatha; Kivingo, Nganga, Tama and Maseki. This was because, the Masai raids had settled down and it was now saver to settle on those lower areas. My father migrated to Maatha with his family during this time. His younger late sister Mutave was born this year. It was also the same year my mother Eshter Nthenya was born. His family lived at Maatha during this time, from 1929-1937.
Maseki later died at Maatha, next to ‘kwa’ mbaa Kitonga and Makiti not very far from where Mbaa Malii lives today. The generations of Maseki later moved and settled at a place near Kambu Kibwezi East. Kikuvi the last born of lele also moved and settled at the same area. I was told that it is not far from Darajani town. Ndambuki Musuna and other mbaa Lele know the place. Kikuvi family the last born of Lele from Katiithi also lives around the same region.
This short family story serves to link (Mbaa) Nzoi, to the Mwithui family. What is important to know is, the wise members of the family like Kaula and Mukolo maintained the family kinship, and when required of them, they went for rescue missions. Mukolo was actually rescued by Mutwethele from those sides of Masue by the borderline of Mbitini and Mukaa. My father told me that, a branch of our family who migrated and settled in this region of Masue some years back. We have a family member called Kinyae, who served in the 2nd World Ward with him.
Nzoi begot Kyongo, who begot Ngau, who begot Sila, who begot lele. Lele begot several sons and daughters. From the first wife Katiithi he begot: Kioko, Kavuo, Ndolo Kitaka, Joseph Musyimi, Kanyambu, Maimo, and Kikuvi. From second wife Kasule, Lele begot Musuna, Mutuli, Mwevala Nzoi and Nzoloka. Lele lived at a place called Katheka Kakai in Katandi. That is where he and his second wife Kasule are buried. Mwevala lived and died in Uganda. When Mwevala passed on, Joseph Musyimi went to Uganda to try and locate him but he could not find him. His family according to Kamba customary laws, built him a grave at his first wife homestead, and slaughtered a male lamb and placed it on the grave. I Chuma Matee witnessed the burrial ceremony. It was about 1982-1983. People complained that they dug a grave only to burry a sheep.
Kakondi sister to Lele and her husband Maingi
NB: She was married to Maingi ‘wa’ Mbaa Maengo
1. Kavila (a girl)
2. Mwangangi(father to Soo mwangangi)
3. Nzuna
4. Mutuva
5. Kingwele
6. Kinyota
Kavila the first daughter was married by a man called Mbati. Mbati was a famous witch doctor around the Kilala region. They lived at Kilala Kwa Mbaa Mbati. Mbati family originally hailed from kilungu region.
Kavila and Mbati
1. Mungala
2.
NB: Mung’ala was a teacher. He was a smart man according to my father Matee. He worked with the Ministry of Education inMachakos District as a School Superintendent. He had an auto accident and sustained internal injuries. He was a family man and had a son who became a judge. The son was later at some time slain at Machakos. (Need more information about the generations of Kavila).
Mwangangi and Ndii
1. Ngundo
2. Soo
Ngundo Lydia
1. Daughter
2. Son
3. son
Mwangangi and Ellena Kalii
Soo was born in the early fourties. He was a rising star among his peers. He performed fairly well in his intermediate exams and was admitted into Kambaa High school. In those days, Kambaa and Machakos were the only provincial schools in the whole of Machakos and Kitui District. He would have achieved a lot except that he was kicked out of school following a student riot. He was married to a daughter to Kalii ‘wa’ Nthanga called Ellena in 1973. Elena taught at Ngelenge primary school where she later retired. Soo worked in Nairobi and retired in his farm, at Ngulwa village, close to ‘Kwa mbaa’ Wambua Nzei and ‘Mbaa’ Mwania Musomba. Here, he practiced a successful mixed farming. From his litte well, he also, he kept and maintained a sustainable small scale farming. For those who knew him, Soo had common and unique character traits which bore semblance from the family line of (mbaa) Nzoi; cunning, confrontational, and to some extend, cruel. For the most part, and in his own way Soo lived a successful life but not without some pit falls. His final days were met with a kind of tragedy of some sorts. It is alleged that, Soo was arrested and imprisoned in one of the local Adminstration Police cells due to matters related to some spouse abuse. In the Police cells, confrontation with the local Administration police agents ensued. There were allegations that during this confrontation, he sustained some internal injuries which might have contributed to his untimely death.
Soo Mwangangi and Ellena
1. Mumbua
2. Son
3. Nau
4. Mutete
MUMBUA AND KISINGU
NB: Kisingu is the first born of Kasomo and his first wife Mutono (Ndekee.) The second wife to Kasomo was Mithemba, and the third wife was called Ngusye a.k.a. (Syuntheke) mother to Kasule, who is mother to Mutuli Mbava. Kasomo and Kaula were cousins. Their mothers were sisters. Kinships in those days were very closesly guarded. It was told of how Kaula fathered fathered Kasule with Ngusye the wife of his cousin Kasomo, and likewise, Kasomo fathered Kivindu with Kaula’s first wife Nzisa. While this story would seem morally and ethically, quite, out norms and unacceptable, yet in those days, it was culturally within acceptable norms, and would be guarded within the kinships ties.
Children of Mumbua and Kisingu
NB: Mumbua is the younger sister to lele
1. Malinda
2. Kavuko
3. Mukui
4. Masika Mulwa aka (Jet)
5. Wanza
6. Mutuku
The wife to Masika Mulwa is called Naomi Mukenyi. She was born in 1914, according to the famiy records. She passed on 8th July 2010. Her father was the late Nzivo kiamba. She was born at Kithumba village near Kalaani, nziu. She was the first born of three daughtes, Mbane, Mula and the late Cathrine Malumbya. She married the late masika Mulwa Kisingu in 1938.
Masika Mulwa and Naomi
1. Mwikali Mbithi (diseased)
2. Agness Lendi Kisilu
3. Sadra Kavene Macharia (1960)
4. Simon Mbithi (1960)
5. Mishek Kikuvi (1965)
6. Mutie Masika (diseased)
7. Kasili
NB: Simon Mbithi and Kavene are twins. Naumi was second wife to Masika. Masika and first wife Syukwia
1. Mutiso married to Mukina
2. Nthia
3. Nzenge
4. And a daughter who died
lele and his first wife Katiithi;
NB: Lele and katiithi had a son who died young. He was bitten by snake. Katiithi moved back to his people (wendo) at a place called Kinyau, not far from Utangwa, Mbooni. This was soon after Lele married his 2nd wife Kasule daughter to Kasomo and his wife Ngusye (Syuntheke)
I Chuma Matee got to know Katiithi and Lele. Katiithi used to carry chapati in her nthungi all the time, which she woud give us once in a while. By the time I saw her she was already at an advanced age. She was a leader of Kilumi, and she used to worship at he ‘Ithembo’ sacred grove, not far from the homestead of her son Musyimi. We never dared to get close to it. She never liked to eat Ugali from flour grinded with motor machines. Her flour was grounded traditionally. When she got older, Musyimi took her to his Mwani Farm Sultan Amud. It was said that she resisted the idea to live in his modern house. He had to put up a small traditional hut for her next to his modern house. Katiithi came from a village called Kinyau Mbooni. I don’t know how Lele got to meet katiithi, but I was told that in those days, young girls were sold or given by their parents at very early age.They were both great people. By the time I knew Lele he was losing his memory. Both were large people and that is most likely where Musyimi, Kanyambu, and Kikuvi got there large body size. Musyimi was circumcised at the same time with Matee, and and Wilson Mwongela although they were not agemates. Musyimi was older than matee by atleast three years. He was late for circumcision because of the years he spent at ‘uendo’, with his mother at Mbooni. It is said that Katiithi went to uendo as soon as Lele married his second wife Kasule.
Children of Lele and Katiithi
1. Kioko (diseased)
2. Ndolo Kitaka(Nzuma) (diseased)
3. Kavuo Nzeeni
4. Joseph Musyimi
5. Kanyambu (diseased)
6. Maima married to (kwa)Kisongoa
7. Waiu (Muuni)
8. Kikuvi (diseased)
NB: there is a boy who died from a snake bite.
Kioko Lele and Nzembi Lole
Nzembi was daughter to Lole and Sisa. She was half sister to my grandmother Mwelu. Mwelu was mother to Peter Matee Nganga. Nzembi used to be known as Ng’asisa.
From first wife came
1. Mutinda (family moved to Kaathi)
2. Wambua
3. Kyumu (deaf)
4. Nthuku
5. Kilole
6. Kimeu (diseased)
7. Mukamweu (last born)
8. There is another daughter married to (Kwa mbaa) Mbindyo.
NB: Mutinda killed a son of Kiswii Kaula and Wausi called Mutule. It was said that the killing was motivated by jealousy. Mutule was out performing Mutinda in school. Mutinda followed Mutule in his family farm where he was chasing birds using a catapult from eating their millet. It is said that Mutinda used a kind of stick used in Sugar Cane press machine. He sneaked behind Mutule and hit him on the neck. A woman who was at distand heard Mutule pleading from Mutinda not to kill him. He proceeded to kill him in cold blood. It is said that, after killing him, he pocked his eyes with porcupine spike (Muungu). This cruel and canal act bears credence to some of the bad character traits which have been allegendly associated our brethren of the household of (mbaa) Nzui).
Nthuku Kioko
1. Mbula
2. Kinyae
3. Judicaster Nthambi (Resident Magistrate)
4. Daughter (teacher)
5. Mwania (shop at Kitandi)
Nthuku worked as a police with the Kenya Railway Corporation. He used to call me Wasa. I knew him and he was a good family man. He raised very good children. One of his daughters works as Resident Magistrate at Nakuru.
NB: Kasivi the third wife to Kioko is a daughter of Kitolo and Mukui. Mukui was a daughter of Itula and his first wive Kavuu. Kavuu married Mutheo my grandmother as a concubine. Mutheo is mother to Esther Nthe’nya Matee. Kitolo lived at Mwasang’ombe area. Mukui and Kitolo are now diseased.
Generations of Kioko and Kasivi
1. Mwanzui (never Married)
2. Mutungi( died 2013)
3. Katumbi (married at a village called Yiangini Ngaa)
4. Munini (married to Kwambaa Kavita) Ngolomoto Mwasang’ombe
5. Last born hanged himself
Generations Ndolo Kitaka (Nzuma)
Ndolo had three wives. The first one was mother to John Lele. The second one was called Muombe, her father Itula used to call her (Musambuli). The third wife was called Wanza. Muombe is sister to Mukui the second wife to Kioko.
Ndolo Kitaka and Muombe
1. Susan Kasiva
2. Kisilu (moved to Aathi) (1947)
3. Ndunge(1953)
4. Kyuvi (1957)
5. Kalondu (married to Kwa mbaa Ngeta)(1959)
6. Mbuve (1966)
Ndolo Kitaka (Nzuma) and Wanza
1. Kalinda (1959)
2. Mbela (1963)
3. Mutindi (1965)
4. Nzyoka (1968)
5. Sila
NB: dates of birth are estimated.
NB: Kasiva was married to kaviti Masio. They divorced and she came back and lived with her people at Kitandi for a long time. She begot two children with Masio. The first born was Kamanthe. A light skinned girl. The second born was a son called Kyalo and Muteti.
Kasiva ndolo
1. Kamanthe
2. Kyalo
3. Muteti
4. Mutono (was from the second marriage)
Kasiva later remarried and to a man called Malungu, and moved and settled at Mwasang’ombe area. She then begot a daughter called Mutono. Kamanthe is married and has several children.
Joseph Musyimi Ndolo
Musyimi had three wives; first wife Katiwa, second wife Mutinda, and third wife Kamene. Kamene came from Iveti hills, Machakos.
Joseph Musyimi and Katiwa
1. Kasimu(diseased)
2. Sila
3. Koki married to Kimeu of (Kwa Mbaa) Mwania Musomba
4. Mwikali married to (kwa mbaa) Kivalya.
NB: I will get the generations of sila, kasimu, Koki and Mwikali later.
Joseph Musyimi and Mutinda
Mutinda is a twin sister to Meleka. Father to Mutinda is Nzeng’e of the Atangwa clan. Mutinda passed on 10/19/2014. They have a younger brother called Mulonzi.
1. Mulike
2. Malita Mutheu (married to Kasanga Mulwa)
3. George Matata (1955)- (April 2010)
4. Syuwia
5. Jomo
6. Juliana Kanini
NB: Mulike was married to to (kwaa) ‘mbaa’ Chief Kivati. The husband is diseased.
George Matata Musyimi
1. Selvester Musyimi Matata
2. Miriam Mbinya Matata
3. Caroline Mutinda Matata
Joseph Musyimi and Kamene
1. Mutete
2. Steven Nguli
3. Ndola
4. Ngau
Generations of Kanyambu
NB: Kanyambu was married to Kinguu father to Makula. She lived in Thea village, right where the River of Kwa Syukilungu, meets the River of Ititu. She had a small piece of land at Ititu bordering Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki a, Matee, and Wambua Kioko, and next to her co’wife, Kaunange. They always farmed there together.
King’uu Family
He married Kavenge, the daughter of kyuma and Itumbi. They had one child a daughter who died. According to kamba customs, since she had no son, she married two concumbines.These were Kanyambu, and kaunange. Nduku the daughter of Muli and Ngina was also married by Kin’guu. Makula was the only son of Nduku and King’uu. Kaunange had several children, three sons and two daughters.
Generations of Kyuma and Itumbi
1. Mwikya (a daughter diseased)
2. Ngusye
3. Kavenge Married to (King’uu)
NB: Mwikya is married to the family of Mueke, of mbaa Ambua clan. This is the family of counselor Miluku who lives not far from Mulala Secondary school. Mwikya has a big family.
King’uuand King’uu
Kaunange had several children, three sons and two daughters. She was a light skin women. Kaunange and her (muu’we) Kanyambu, worked very hard in their (Ng’undu) little pieces of land at Ititu. This piece of property is located next to Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki and Munyiva Wambua. On the west side of the land, she bordered Mbeleete Mbindyo, and Mwania Matheko. Most of the land belonging to Mbindyo, and Mwania Matheko has been purchased by Kyuvi Mwania. During the dry season spel, from August through, late November, young men used to bring their cows and gather together, and just have fun. We would wrestle, fist fight, and watch our bulls fight all day long.
It was here at Ititu, at my childhood that I learned how to make little money. During what seemed like a long dry season, running from the month of June, all the way to Novermber, the whole basin of Ititu was full of Castro trees which grew naturally. I learned that a shopkeeper at the local Market called Kiumoni (Welfare) was buying Castro seeds. I began to go and collect those seeds, bring them home, crush them, and sell them to the shopkeeper. I was thrilled when I was given my first payment. It was just a few cents. I remember the overwhelming feelings of content. That satisfactory feeling that I had my own money, and I could buy whatever I wanted with it gave me a lot of content. Of course, I bought a few candies (sweets) and some burns (Mandazi) and that was pretty much all I needed at that time. It really surprised me to learn that, none of my sibblings wanted to toil for money. I kept doing this, and as years went buy, I learned other little trades like making sisal threads and selling them to the same shopkeeper. I learned the principles of selfindepedence at very ealy age.
Kanyambu and King’uu
1. King’ai (died as teenager)
2. Kamene
3. Kambua
4. Maengo (last born)
NB: Joseph Musyimi took Kamene and put her into a boarding school in Nairobi when she was still a little girl. Her mother Kanyambu kept on bothering Musyimi to bring back her baby girl. Eventually Musyimi conceded and brought the girl back to her mother. She joined us at class five at Ngelenge. At Ngelenge, Kamene stood out in everything. Having been schooled in a Nairobi high cost schools, she looked elitist in all respect. She wore beautiful shoes and skirts, and was smart, clean. She was fluent in English, and excelled in all subjects. She Become the darling to all teachers. Before she joing us at Ngelenge, we knew nothing about her. It appeared like, she droped right from the sky. This kid really looked great, with those city school uiforms, and shoes. Kamene’s life afterwards, became a tragedy story. After primary school, Kamene attended Mulala Secondary school, and dropped out, some time in form two. She got married to (Kwa) (mbaa) Masoo, on those sideds of Kiliani village. She late on died during chirldbirth at a very early age.
Kikuvi and Mbaika
NB: He resembled his older brother Musyimi. They both were large body people. Kikuvi moved to Kambu near Darajani. I think he later died there. Mbaika is daughter to Ngii. Their grand daughter is married to Nyamai Nganga.
1. Ngangi(diseased)
2. Kiilu age mate of Jomo
3. NB. There is another boy who got lost in South Africa. This boy Musyimi Lele took him a long with Kanyambu’s daughter Kamene to rescue them from poverty and give them a better life. It is said that, a certain white man from South Africa saw and liked the little boy and requested to adopt him.
Ngangi Kikuvi was also educated by Joseph Musyimi in a good boarding school but later abandoned. Ngangi lived his whole live as vangabond. I was told he build a modern house at his parents homestead at Kambu near Daranjani. When he died, Matata and Munywoki Ndolo disposed the property.
Lele and second wife Kasule
NB: Kasule was a great woman. She was my birther. She was a very light skinned woman just like her mother Ngusye. She had a very unique voice. She had a bear like legs. Ngusye, also nicked named Syuntheke was married to Kasomo. She hailed from the slopes of hill Nzau not far from River Kikuu. Kasule only daughter was called Mutuli. She resembled her in every way and she was also very light skinned. Mutuli is married to Muoki Mbava. Muoki is son of Mulinge. Mbava and Kimuyu Ngulu, is ‘mundu na mwaanaithe,’ (half brothers)
1. Kiusuna Musau (1927)
1. Mutuli (married to Mbava) mother to Mutio
2. Mwevala (died in Uganda)
3. Nzoi (1947)
4. Nzoloka (1951)
Nzoi was born (1944-1946). He was age mates to Lawrence Kambona Matee, Kisilu Ndolo, Kyuvi Mwania, and Munywoki Kikalu Nduto.
Musuna and first wife Bendetta Kaviti
1. Bosco Kaula Musuna (1959)
2. Charles Musau Musuna aka Ndambuki (May 12th 1963)
3. Young Musau Musuna(1964-2013)
4. Greek Musau Musuna(1968)
5. Joseph Musau Musuna(1970)
Musuna and second wife Mueni
1. Morris Kyalo
2. Mbula
3. Sila
GENERATIONS OF KAULA
NB: Kaula and Kasomo were cousins. There mothers were sisters. Kasomo mothr was called Mutuli. So Mutuli was sister to Kaula’s mother. The father to kasomo was called Mbithi.
Kaula had two wives. The first one was called Nzisa, and the second was called Mutono.
Kaula and first wife Nzisa
1. Kivindu Nzui Kaula
2. Mulwa Kaula
3. Munyalo Kaula
4. Mutunga (died in Ethiopia 2nd World War)
Kaula and second wife Mutono
1. Kiswii Kiaula
Kiswii and his wife Wausi
Wausi, and Malalu, were children of Nyali, who was son of Mokonze. She was the only wife to Kiswii. Wausi’s mother was captured from Tanzania by his grandfather Nyali, from a tribe called Muono. Wausi was a little short woman probably 5ft 2 inches. She was very polite and a loving person. I knew her through the years and as she started to get older, her perkinson disease got worse. In her final days she was taken over by her grandson Benjamin Nguli Mulwa, who cared for until she passed away, in late ninenties. I have no specific date. She always attended church and was friendly to everybody.
These following people were captured from Tanzania; Mother to Malalu and Wausi were captured by Nyali son of Mukonze. A big family of Nzomo (wa) Ndive, including his mother Syukitote, were also captured from Unyamwezi Tanzania by kituku. My grand father Nganga also went to Unyamwezi.
1. Kathindi Mulwa
2. Mutule (killed by Mutinda Kioko)
3. Mutinda (migrated to Kylulu Hills)
4. Nzoka
5. Kalilimu (died young)
6. Kalondu (lives at Kiboko)
7. Nzali (lives at Kiboko) taught me at Kikwasuni.
Kathindi Mulwa and his wife Dorcas
1. Daughter my teacher at Kitandi
2. daughter
3. Benjamin Mulwa
4. Kameme
5. Mutindi married Ngulwa (diseased)
6. Nduku (last born)
Nguli is married to Zinorah Muthoka and they have several children, two daughters, and one boy. 1st born is called Mutono like her great grand mother.
Muteti son of silia and Kalondu
1. Kyalo Muteti
2. Mueni (married Kwa Kavuthu)
3. Michael (very spiritual belonged to Jehova Witness) diseased.
4. Musyimi
5. Last born.
NB: Kalundo is a daughter of Kiswii and Wausi.
Kivindu Nzui Kaula, and Maatu
NB: Kivindu wife was called Maatu daughter Mukula. She was always refered to as Nga’silu, meaning granddaughter of ‘mbaa’ Silu. She lives at Kithamani, in Kitandi village with her only son Mutua. I got to know her while growing up.I also got to know Kivindu. At some time she migrated to Mweini in Nguu. Kivindu died and was buried at Mwaini. Later on she returned to Kitandi. She always limbed and her knee was always swollen. I visited her on January 2015 while home to burry my father. We had a good long chart. I had not seen her for many years, and I infact had thougt she had passed on. Her knee was still swollen. She told me that an X-rayed detected a thorn lodged inside her flesh. She was not ready to undergo any procedure on her body.
Mulwa Kaula
1. Kiio
2. Mumbua Kamu.
NB: Mulwa died early in life.
The family of Munyalo
He had two wives, the 1st wife was called Nziva, and the 2nd wife was called Mbuva. Nziva died early in life. They had only one child called Komu. She was related to Nduku Katumaa, the first wife to Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki.
Munyalo and second wife Mbuva
1. Nzisa
2. Musyoki
3. Last born daughter
4.
Kisambuli Ngiti, the younger brother to Kaula Ngiti
He had three children. The first born was a son called Mbai, the second was a daughter called Nzuvu. Mbai never married and left no generation. Nzuvu had three daughters; the first born was married to Nthiwa the father to Kamuti. The second daughter called Nthamba was married to Mutiso Kasamba, and the third daughter, Ndangwa was married to Musomba, of (mbaa) Kyuma. From that marriage came, Mutinda, Alice Mwikali, Nthenya, Kinyili, Ruth Katuli Kamuti, and Kanuu. Kanuu lived next to Ngulua Primary school.
NB: From ‘ukauti’ ‘wa’ Mwithui, Ngiti, Mbao, Kisambuli, Nzuvu and his daughter Ndangwa, we are linked to ‘mbaa’ Kyuma through his son Musomba. Nzuvu also begot Mueke mother to Mbindyo Ngati, Mutuku Ngati, Ndetei Ngati, and Mutiso Kasamba, father to Philip. Nzusu, and Nzuvu are related. Nzuvu was married to ‘kwa’ ‘mbaa’ Ndive.
NB: Through Nzuvu, Mwithui family is linked to Ngati family of ‘Atangwa’ clan.
Kiuluku Ndutu
He was the first born of Ndutu, who was son of Mwithui, who was the son of Mutwaembe. Kiuluku had two children; a son and a daughter. These are;
1. Kinyenze, (first born)
2. Nthemba (daughter)
NB: Kinyenze wife was called Kakima.
NB: Nthemba was married at Mutiswa. She divorced and moved back to her people at Kitandi. She moved back with her two sons. She died and was buried a long with her people at Kitandi.
Kinyenze and wife Kakima
These are the sons of Kinyenze;
1. Kiswii
2. Muthiani Nzongolu
NB: Kinyenze married Koki and died early, the family elders gave his wife Koki to Nganga as a concubine. From that relationship was born Nzongolu Muthiani.
NB: Ng’anduto means she was a grand daughter to Nduto of ‘Kwa Mbaa’ Katuma. She lived at kiima kya taiti
Kiswii and Ngusye aka Ng’andutu
1. Mulwa (Ivuku)
1. Amos Mbwete
2. Tungele (daughter) Married to Munyao ‘wa’ Lwaya and lived on those sides of Nzaalani.
3. Maluki (daughter died) she was married and lived at Kiima kya Nzaui.
Muthiani Nzongolu and Emma.
1. Jeremiah (1943-10/2013)
2. Wanza (1945)
3. Konyo (1948)
4. Katuti (1951) (worked at the court house Machakos)
5. Munywoki(1954)
6. A boy (1956) (diseased)
7. Kalulu (1958)
8. Makau (1962)
Mutwethele brought Mukolo from Ngele. The fact that he did that implies that there was a close kinship relationship. (Mai ma Nyumba Imwe) Nge’le is on those sides of Masue, between the bourderline of Mbitini and Mukaa. Just like Nzoi, every possibility indicates that, their forefothers were closely related to our forefathers, and they most likely branched off a few generations before Mutwa’iembe.
JOEL NZOMO MUKOLO (1895-2ND 102009)
According to the family records, the late Joel Mukolo was born in 1895 to the late Mukolo Ungu and Munani Mukolo in Thea village, Kyemundu Location, Nzaui District. He was the last born in a family of three; the late Mathelya Mukolo and Mbili Kilonzo. His half brothers were; Kini, Nzii, and Kemeu. He was married to Naomi Mwelu in 1919, and Monicah Ngwembe in 1952. They were all blessed with three sons and nine daughters; Peter Munywoki, Anna Nduku, Beatrice Mutele, Esther Musili, Rachael Munyilu, Miriam Wavinya, Diana Mukene, Agness Wanza, Late Theiophilus Wambua, Justus Mbithi, Emily Nthenya, and Ruth Wayua.
The late Joel Nzomo Mukolo worked with east African Railways as a Catering Manager. He has been a member of Kenya Farmers Association (K.F.A), and a retired leader of the Ambua clan. He was hard working, organized, focused and encouraged his children to pursue education.
He hailed with asthma disease for a long time and was treated in various hospitals. He passed peacefully in sleep at the dawn of Frinday, 2nd October, 2009.
Nzomo Mukolo and Naomi Mwelu
1. Peter Munyoki
2. Anna Nduku( married to Kivanga)
3. Beatrice Mutele ( wife to Gideon Mutisya) married Kitui
4. Mirrium Wavinya (wife to paschael Keli Mulwa)
5. Agness Wanza( home)
6. Theophilus Wambua(diseased)1962
Nzomo and Monicah Ngwembe
1. Esther Musili
2. Racheal Munyilu
3. Diana Mukene
4. Justus Mbithi (1962)
5. Emily Nthenya
6. Ruth Wayua
NB: Justus Mbithi Mukolo is married to Muthina Solomon of ‘kwa mbaa’ Kasomo.
NB: Mukolo also begot Kilungu, who begot Kini, who begot Nzii, and Kemeu. These three brothers were half brothers of Nzomo. Kini was very light skinned. He is the father to the mother of Mulinge Munyai wife, Judicaster Kamende, and also Caroline Mukui Kioko. Kioko is son to Wilson Mwongela Muli.
NB: Going by the family records, Nzomo died at the age of one hundred and ten.
Family of Nganga Mutwethele
Nganga with the other two sons of Mutwe’ithele moved to Kikumbulyu with her father when he was shot with an arrow at Kiima kya Taiti. When his father died, He still lived at Kikumbulyu. He and Muli were actually circumcised at Kikumbulyu. Kaula went and brought Nganga back home. Nganga begot several wives. The first wive was Mbithe daughter of Mwanikanthi, and mother to Malinda, and her sister Mutindi, the wife to Eliud Kinyota. Mbithe did not have a son, so according to the Kamba customs, she married Kanuku as a concubine. From Kanuku came three sons and a daughter.
Children Nganga and Kanuku
1. Musyoka (1956)
2. Nzilani (1958)
3. Mwololo(1965)
4. Nyamai (1970)
Mbithe was mother to Malinda wife to Kilundo. Malinda died during the accident of the Bus of Kyamana. (1975)
NB: Kaula, Kasomo, Mukolo, and Kituku the father of Nzomo wa Mbaa Ndive, conspired and coerced Nganga to marry Mbithe, the daughter of Kwinga Mwanika Nthi, who killed his sister,(Mwiitu) wa Mutwethele. The conspiracy was to wade off the wrath of (Kithitu) Kamba traditional oath or curse, between the House of Mutwethele and (mbaa) Mwanika, so that we the (Mbaa) Mutwethele don’t claim the payment from the Mwanika for the death of our daughter whom he killed in cold blood inorder he can still the cattle of Mutwethele, whom they also had previousy shot with a poisoned arrow.
When Nganga returned from Kikumbulyu, Muli remained there. Muli was circumcised at Kikumbulyu. Muli worked with the East African Railways for some time. (Mutie Mwongela knows the exact Railway station where Muli worked. Muli married his wife Kasina from Kikumbulyu a place called Masongoleni. That is probably why their first born daughter was named Masungula.
Generations of Nganga and 1st wife Mbithe
1. Malinda (married to Kilundu)
2. Mutindi (married to Kinyota)
3. Wambua (died young and left no generation)
NB: Malinda died on a road accident involving the famous Kyamana Bus Services, a long the Mombasa Nairobi Highway some time in the early seventies.
The second wife was Koki. Koki was previously married to Kinyenze son of Kiuliku. She and Kinyenze had a son together called Kiswii. But when Kenyenze died early in his life, Nganga was given Koki. From that relationship was born Nzongolu Muthiani.
The third wife was Mwelu daughter of Lole and Ka’Ngu. By the time Nganga married our grandmother Mwelu, she had already left her troubled first marriage. From this first marriage was born, a daughter called Nguna who was always refered to as (ukulu) in the family, and her second born Thomas King’oo. My father Peter Matee was not born from this first marriage, but he was born at Thea village.This where she had take refuge, from that first relationship. Our father Matee was born out of wedlock during this time of (uwendo). Mutave, the younger sister to Matee was born 1929 from the marriage between Nganga and Mwelu.
MULI NGANGA FAMILY
Muli’s first wife was Ngina. They begot four children. The first born was a daughter called Masungula. The second born was a son called Munyao, then a daughter Nduku, and Wilson Mwongela. Muli’s second wife was Kasina, mother to Grace Mutete, a daughter called Mbaluka, and a son who died young. Mbaluka was lost in Taveta for many years, until some time early 2010 when Jackson Mutie Mwongela found her. He managed to reunite her with her sister Mutete. She later returned to Taveta.
Nganga and Mbithe
1. Malinda
2. Mutindi
NB: Kanuku concubine to Mbithe
1. Musyoka (1956)
2. Nzilani (1958)
3. Mwololo(1965)
4. Nyamai (1967)
NB: DOB Estimated.
NGANGA MUTWA’ITHELE AND MWELU LOLE
1. Nguna (diseased) 1919)
2. Thomas King’oo (diseased) (1921)
3. Peter Matee (1923) died on (22 nd /12/2013)
4. Mutave (diseased) (1929) (died 3/4/2011)
5. Munyiva diseased (1933-10 2013)
6. StanelyMasila Mutule (19 43)
NB: DOB: Mutave was born in 1929 during the famine of Kakuti.
Mwelu had a first marriage to the household of (mbaa) Kitutu at Maatha.
When the first relationship did not go well, she went back to her people at ‘Utui wa Thea’ village. It was while back with her people that my father, Matee, was born. Later at some time in mid-twenties, Mwelu was remarried by Nganga Mutwa’ithele. Other two daughters, Mutave and Munyiva, and the last born Stanley Mutule Masila were born. Mwelu’s family is from the Kamba sub-clan of ‘Amiwa’ the same clan of my mother Nthenya. Mwelu’s father was called Lole. Her mothers name has not been passed on to me, but she was refered to as ‘Ka’Ngu. This would likely mean that, her grandfather was ‘Ngu’. According to Kamba tradition, families did not refer their inlaws in their given nor, their maiden names. This was as a show of repect. Parents would refer their daughter in law as a daughter of either, her father, or grandfather.
The last two wives of Nganga were Ngami. Ngami is daughter to Kako and Ilaa. Ngami had a brother called Kavuko. Nganga died in 1962. His last wife was Kanuku. I have to find out her family history.
Aunt Nguna Nganga
She was the first born of Nganga Mutwethele and Mwelu Lole. Aunt Nguna was married to a man called Mutunga son of Timu in 1945 at Mukuyuni Kikumbulyu, while my father was in the Army. From this relationship was born, Damaris Kambua and her brother called Kinyili. Kambua was born at about, 1946. Mutunga son of Timu did not treat Nguna well. It was said that he married Damaris Kambua off while still a child and used the bride price to pay for a dowry for another wife. Feeling mistreated, Aunt Nguna escaped and walked all the way from Kikumbulyu and came back to his people at Mbitini. When she appeared at Kitandi, at night at my father’s compound, he could handly recognize her. She was very impoverized. My father took her, and gave her a piece of land next to him at Kwa Kasoo. This particular piece of land my parents had purchased it from a man called Munyao son of (wa) Lwaya, who moved to kaunguni. When Ant Nguna moved to Katangi, my father gave that piece of land to Sarah the wife of Julius Kavita Mutwa’ithele.
My mother took her in and started caring for her. She began to acquire little things here and there, like chicken, goats, and even later on had a lot of cows. When my father moved to Katangi, in 1970, she moved along with my father’s second wife Suzan Wayua. Since she had no son, and according to the Kamba custom, Nguna married a concubine called Naumi Mukami Kinyili.
Mother to Mukami was called Ngina ‘wa’ Mwongela. Father to Naumi was called Mwongela Ngeta. Ngeta died at 2010 at Mangelete Mutito-Andei. Ngina also died 2012, at her home village in Matiliku. Acoording to Ellen Wanza, the first daughter of Naumi, her mother died on 29th/04/2005, at the age of thirty nine years old. Because of this troubled family background, Wanza become a victim of child abuse. She became pregnant while a teenager. She gave birth to a little girl called Naomi, named after her grandmother. When Gladys Mwelu noticed the dire need of this troubled teenage mother, she took Naomi, as a foster child. She also later on took Namomi’s mother Wanza, into her house, and put her into a trade school. I spend good time with Wanza in 2010 during a short visit at Mwelu’s home in Nairobi.
Aunt Nguna died at Katangi in 1999. Aunt Nguna had a second born called Kinyili who died young. Aunt Nguna suffered from maigrain for the most part of her life.
Chidren of Naomi Mukami
1. Kasanga (1976)
2. Ellen Kanini (1982)
3. Urbunus Ndola (1988)
4. Anna Wanza (4/26th/1990)
5. John Mutunga (1994)
6. Mwelu (daughter diseased)
7. Ndunge (2005) still in standard
NB: Ellen Kanini is married to Kilonzo Musyoka a son to Kimuyu. According to Anna Wanza, Ellen and Kilonzo Musyoka have been taking care of Kimuyu and Kavene. Ellen studied at Ng’etha Polytecnic and graduated. Urbunus Ndola completed form 4 and attended National Youth Service (NYS) and studied Plants and Technical studies.
NB: Gladys Mwelu Mutuku adopted Naomi a daughter to Anna Wanza. She took her while an infant. At the time she took her she was living with her mother Susan Wayau Kimuyu at Mbukoni village. She brought her to Nairobi cared for her. Naomi did not know how to speak any other language except Kikamba, but not long she got assimilated into urban live. Today Naomi is a very beautiful child to behold. After Wanza completed her school at Kasue Secondary School Mbukuni, Mwelu also brought her to stay with them while finding a way to help her get started in life.
Thomas King’oo and Nduku (mwiitu ‘wa’ Ikenyi)
1. Wanza (1944)
2. Julius Kavita Mutwa’Ithele (1947)
3. Kiuluku (1955)
4. Richard Mutua (1957)
5. Jackson Maweu (August 1960)
6. Nyelele (1963)
7. Mueni (1968) went to Machakos Girls. Very bright.
Julius Kavita Mutwa’ithele and Sarah Maweu
1. Mwikali
2. Kalulu
3. Boy
4. Boy
5. Boy
6. boy
Mutave Nganga and Kithyoma
1. daughter born (diseased)
2. boy (diseased)
3. Kivuva (diseased)
4. Nzomo (diseased
NB: Aunt Mutave relocated from Mbitini hills near (kwa) Ngoloma and settled at Kinyoo, near rive Muooni. She died on 3/4/2011. I had a privilege to visit with her some time 2010. She was in a horrible situation. There was a lot of poverty and neglect. Aunt Mutave was born in 1929 during the farmine of ‘Kakuti’. This was the same years his family migrated from Kitandi to the slopes of Hill Maatha in search for greener pastures.
Stanley Mutule Masila, and, Serah Kanuu.
Kanuu was born at a place called Matwiku Mwaani Kilungu. Her mother was called Waki. Father to Waki was called Kikungu. Father to Kanuu was called Mwonga. Father to Mwonga was called Kasoya.
1. Muteti (1966) age mate of Kauma
2. Muthini Muli
3. Kennedy Masila
4. Kavuu
5. Musyoki
6. Kambua
7. Mulei
8. Keli
NB: Kavuu is married to the family of Kyengo Ndile at Mumela Kilungu. Kavuu’s mother Kanuu also comes from from Kilungu. Kavuu is very friendly girl.
MATEE NGANGA AND ESTHER NTHENYA KIVANDI
Peter Matee was born in 1923. Esther Nthenya Kivandi was born in 1929 during the famine of Kakuti. ‘yua’ ya Kakuti’. Peter Matee and Esther Nthenya Kivandi were married in 25/5/1945.
1. Lawrence Kambona Ndutu (10th /6/1947) died 9/2/1990
2. David Munyai (28/9/1951)
3. Alice Mumbua (13/3/1953)
4. Jimmy Musyimi (12/8/1955) died 1974
5. Muendi (5/11/1957)
6. Mbai Matee (14/5/1959)
7. Jonah Wasya (Chuma Matee) (13/11/1960)
8. Robert Pamba (10/8/1962)
9. Mathew Mumo (23/3/1965)
NB: In Kenya Dates of Birth starts with the Date, followed by the Month, and then the year. In USA, D.O.B.starts with the Month, the date, and the year. Most my dates here follow the Kenyan format to avoid confusion.
PETER MATEE AND SUSAN WAYUA KIMUYU
1. Muthoki Matee (31/8/1960)
2. Albert Mbesa Matee (2/7/1962
3. Chris Masaku Matee (14/8/1965)
4. Betty Muninin Matee (3/8/1967)
5. Ndunge Matee (7/9/1969)
6. Ivyon Mwikali Matee (24/11/1971)
7. Gladys Mwelu Matee (4/5/1974)
8. Alex Wambua Matee (1980)
9. Cynthia Mwende Matee (April 20th 1983)
NB: Matee and Susana Wayua were married in 1959. Susana Wayua is daughter to Kimuyu Ngulu and Kavene. Ngulu and Mbava father to Mulinge were (mundu na mwanaainya) Mbava is married to Mutuli. In 2010 when I went to burry my father, I visited with Mutuli. She looked healthy but aging slowly. I bought her several kilos of sugar and a few loaves of bread. I just wanted to pay little tribute to her great mother Kasule because she was my birther.
Betriece Munini Matee and Lazarus Muema Ndivo
Father to Lazarus Muema is Ndivo, and his mother is called Agnes Muthikwa. Mother to Muthikwa is called Ndinda, and father to Ndida is Kimuli. Father to Kimuli is called Mulili and father to Mulili is called Kathanza.
Father to Ndivo is called Mwinzi, and father to Mwinzi is called Nthiwa. Father to Nthiwa is called Kaloki. Father to Kaloki is Mwanza. Mather to Ndivo is called Nzakwa.
Below are the children of Betty Munini and Lazarus Muema.
1. Stanley Ndivo Mueme (May 13th 2003)
2. Stacey Mutheu Mueme (10/18/2004)
1. Abigail Mutanu (July/02/2010)
Gladys Mwelu Matee and Charles Mutuku
1. Donnel Mutuku
2. Peace Mutuku
3. Naomi Mutuku
Lawrence Kambona Matee
Kambonas family given name is Ndutu Matee, a name he dropped later on and named himself as Lawrence Kambona Matee. Kambona was born at 4:00 AM, in 10/06/ 1946, at Kithamani. He was the first born of Peter Matee, and Esther Nthenya Kivandi. He died in 9/02/1990. He had two wives, Rose Bahati Mwikali, and Nancy Wanjiru. Kambona’s age mates were Munywoki Nduto Kikalu, Nzoi Musuna, Mwatu, and Kyuvi Mwanai. He attended Matiliku primary school. He proceeded to Mulala intermediate school up to form two, before proceeding to Mumbuni Secondary school for Form 3 and 4. He completed his Cambridge High school Examination with a Division 3 in 1972. His school mate at Mumbuni was Munywoki Nduto Kikalu.
Lawrence Kambona Matee and Rose Bahati Mwikali
1. Cosmas Maingi (1974)
2. Robert Matee (1976)
3. Carlos Matheka (1978)
4. Paul Nganga (1980)
Generations of kambona Matee and Nancy Wanjiru
1. Sophia Muthoni (1983)
2. Morris Matee (27/08/1990)
Sophia joined Boarding School in January 1994.
David Munyai Matee and Bedetta Mailu
1. Koki (1st/3/1972)
2. Mulinge (30/05/1974)
3. Musyoki (diseased) 1st/07(1977-2004)
Dauglas Mulinge and Judicaster Kamende
1. Fortune Muuo Mulinge
2. Musyoki Mulinge
3. Wisdom Musyoki
NB: Father to Bendetta Is Mailu Mukula. He hails from Kyemundu Sublocation, Mulala Location, Makueni County. Mailu died on (2/19/2013). My mother also refered Bendetta, as ‘Mwiitu (wa) Mukula, or shortly as, ‘Mailu’. (Meaning mwiitu was Mailu) daughter of Mailu.
Benjamine Musyoki and Christine Katumbi Kivuva
NB: Musyoki died before he was married and was married off Katumbi Kivuva according to Akamba Traditions
1. Maxwell Kioko Musyoki 30th /07/1997
2. Veronicah Mwende Musyoki 22/09/2002
Richard and Alice Mumbua Matee
1. Nduku Musyoka
2. Agnes Munyiva Kavita
3. Tom (Thika)
4. Nzisa (light Skin) Loitoktok
5. Mwelu( married to Mukuyuni Kibwezi)
6. Ngui (home)
7. Matee
8. Bonface Kavulu (sick)
9. Nthenya (married Kisau)
Albert Mbithi and Agness Muendi Matee
1. Anastacia Mbithe (1974)
2. Salome Munini
3. Damiana Katumbi
4. Marry Mwelu
5. Titus Wambiu
6. Paschael Wambua
7. Fedelis Ndung’u
8. Michael Kiminza
9. Lawrence Nzole
10. Peter Matee
11. Esther Nthenya
12. Maswili
13. George Kinyala Makete
NB: Albert Mbithi is son of Maswili, who is son of Mbiu, who is son of Mutwota
John Muiva Kiumu and Anastacia Mbithe
1. Winfred Mutheu (6th/2/1996)
2. Virginia Nduku (9th/7/1999)
3. Cynthia Katinda (31/7/2002)
4. Morris Mutyota(3rd/3/2007)
5. Bridgit Mumbe (20/03/2009
Peter Matee Mbai and Jennifer Mukenyi
1. First born died at birth.
2. Alfred Mambo Mbai (1982)
3. Muthoka
4. Matee
5. Boy died as baby.
6. Geoffrey Mbai
CHUMA MATEE
Brief Highlights
I was born on a Sunday Mornig, 11/15th/1960. I was born of goodly parents who taught me the principles of hard work, self reliance, honesty, and respect to God and my fellow beings. My given names were Jonah Wasya Matee. The name Wasya was because I was born during the dawn of Information Technology. It was time Radio transmission was being introduced in Africa.
I was born in a small muddy homestead located on a small neighborhood called Kithamani. Kithamani is located in Katandi village, nge’tha sublocation, Kyemundu Location, Nzaui District, Makueni County. The year I was born, the administrative divisions were different. Back then, Kyemundu was a sublocation of Mbitini Location, which was in Makueni Division, which was in Machakos District, in Eastern Province.
On this humble, rural and quiet homestead, located on the eastern lower slopes of Mbitini hills, is where is sprang up.
Located on the South East of this lower slopes of Mbitini hills was the Matiliku-Kimia river which runs a long the Ititu-Kimia plains known for its fertile, black cotton soils. In my younger years, this river streamed inccessantly almost through out the year round, except for a short period during the month of November when short rains startes. There were many fig tree (Mikuyu) dotted all a long the river and also spread out all over the plains. These plains were divided into small portions among many families. My parents managed to purchase small portions of land from our neighbours. We therefore, eventually were able to accumulate a sizeable land to grow enough crops and keep a few cattle and goats for our sustenance.
I started my pres-chool at Kikwasuni ‘kwa’ Ndolo Kitaka Lele, some time in (1965-66). My classmates were; my half sister Muthoki, Mutua Kivindu, Mutindi Mulwa, Mumbua Kamu Mulwa, the late Jomo Musyimi, Kiilu Kikuvi, Muthoki Munyao, Mbivi Mbindyo, Wambua Kinyumu, and Mbuvi Mutinda. Ruth Kivati Kinyumu, mother to Wambua, used to send him to school with a well cooked and packed lunch in good silver dishes. It was mostly boiled or fried cassava which usually never saw its distination. We actually would to eat it a long the way before we even arrived at school. That was funny. We had two teachers; the first one was a young lady called Mengele Munyao. Mengele passed on during this time. It was my first experience with the stink of death. I was devasted by this experience. I did not know much about death but when it happned it was real and there was no mistake about it. We all felt it. It took me a while to come into terms with myself that our beautiful teacher was gone for good. I still have tender and fond memories about this young woman whom death snatched at her tender early age. I still remember Mbivi Mbindyo our class prefect. She really terrorized everybody and scared me to death. Other older boys like Mutua Kivindu also bullied me.
There was really not much of learning. When we were not singing, we were fighting, or wrestling, on the dirsty floor. In those days, they used to provide powder milk to us and I remember carrying a big mug ‘Mbakuli’ which we filled up with this special milk. We were also accasionally served with canned beef. It just tasted great.
Some of the funny memories were during the (P.E.) Physical Exercises. We would all gather outside for singing and dancing. There was this particular style of dance known as (Mbulele). In the dance girls would to swing their dresses way up the air. The amusing part of it all was that, some of the little girls did not have even underwares on. It was not like they forgot to ware them. Some did not even have them at all. We were still young, and nothing seemed out of ordinary or unusul in those days, except that some time we could not help being amused by the whole experience.
Some of my early childhood experiences which shaped my outlook during these early years are still fresh in memory. A good example is when with my father we visited my uncle Joseph Musyimi Ndolo, at his Kitandi homestead. The year was most likely 1966. I was probably between five to six years old. I had never really seen him before, not I can remember. Every body seemed to know him. There was an aura of greatness around him. He was tall and a towering figure, about six and five inches, tall. His large chest was pushed forward, and his both arms were pushed back. He walked around in his shorts trousers, and boy, he just looked like a big hansdome boy. I think the occasion was a celebration of one of his military achievements. It was not until many years later that I learned that the year was 1966, when he was appointed the Kenya Army Commander. Two years before that, in 1964, the outgoing British Military officers had bypassed Jackson Mulinge for Joseph Ndolo, when he Mulinge was pressing for a hasty Africanization of the Armed forces. Mulinge had actually been promoted before Ndolo. But then, for this reason, Brigadier Hardy made Ndolo his deputy Army commander, thus giving him a first shot at the big seat after independence in 1964. It is for this reason that uncle Ndolo was able to rise through the ranks to the top most echelons of the Military in just seven years, a process which ordinarily takes at most thirty years.
On this particular occasion, he realy looked in jovial mood, and he had thrown a big party and we were all having fun with a lot of food and drinks of all sorts. Uncle Ndolo looked impressive, and also handsom in his thirties. It is said that, for the most part, we become like people we admire. I felt like I wanted to be like him in some way. I was still too young to understand anything about his character, or even profession, but suffice to say that, he attracted a lot of attention from everybody who was there that day and it made us just want to be associate with him in some way.
From my early childhood I admired my parents and my next door neighbor Sammy Kinyumu. They were higly driven people and worked very hard in their little fams to make our life better. I loved to work in the farm. As a little kid I was all over moving about, and I was pretty much by myself doing my things. That is how my first given name Wasya disappeared and was replaced with a nickname ‘Munguti’ which loosely translates to ‘a wanderer’, and which actually fittingly, describes my personality very well. Over the years, I would wander a lot in my life. I met one of my childhood nany who revealed a few things about my childhood. She told me that I was a relatively quiet child, and I liked to be by myself most of the time, and that I wandered about in the combound going about my business.
It was not until almost fifteen years later that we visited this same uncle Joseph Musyimi’s at his Mwani Farm that I got a glimpse of a ‘large’ life. This had nothing to do with his wealth or anything material in nature. I was actually too young to understand anything about wealth, power and riches. I think to me, what mattered most was how this occasion gave me a different outlook, that helped me to see that there was another world out there bigger than my little muddy homestead at Kitandi. Most of our houses were mud and grass thatched. Coming from this kind of background, it was really an eye opening experience to me as a child. I walked around his huge compound. I remember noticing these beautiful lawns, and these huge bougainvillea vine tree weaving there way around these enormouse, Euphorbia Igen, an African greeny sussulent Cuctus trees. I walked in and out just his huge red-brick Victorian country house, admiring the European settler architecture and exlusive lifestile at work. It was nothing like I had seen before. This was during a wedding ceremony of his second born daughters Malita Mutheu Kasanga. I think it was about 1972. My elder brother Lawrence Kambona and Kisilu Ndolo had completed their Cambridge highschool and were actually working in his farm during this time. These teenagers were really in their hey-days, and were dressed in Kaunda suits, cone shaped hats bell-botoms, and pretty high heeled shoes, which were the style in those days. I saw my dad, becon my mom, and pointing his figure towards his first born, and then comment “Behold your son”.
It was the first time I saw and heard about a TV. I had never seen a TV before in my life. I remember my friend Wambua Kinyumu pointing to me and saying that (This is a TV). I never got to know how he found out about TV. Coming from the same village background as me, he appeared to have some head-start in some ways compared to his peers. Come to think about it; Wambua had three members of his family who were in secondary school, and who were influencing, and profoundly, sharpening his out-look, in some ways. It is always great to have people around you can look up to.
Another great man who influenced me in my early life was the late Chief Nguli who hailed from Kiima kya Makuli not far from Nziu. Nguli used to own an old Landrover Deffender. He used to do game hunting with my father. They both owned Riffles and handguns, and they would go on hunting expenditions together and bring a lot of game meat loaded in his landrover. Other time, the car would be grounded on our compound for months and months. Like uncle Musyimi, Nguli was a towering man.
There were other few men who influenced me in my early life. One was Chief Kivati, who worked with my father while serving as the local chief of Mbitini Location. Chief Kivati was brought by the colonial government from Wamunyu, to replace Chief Likindo after he was accused of administering oath (KIthitu) among the Kamba people during the MAU MAU period, 1952-57. Kivati like Nguli had a huge old Landrover Deffender. Chief Kivati loved game hunting expenditions with my father. He and dad would later on acquire huge pieces of land in Kambu and and Mutitu area. And while dad wuld later vacate from those landas, Kivati settled for good. The last man on this list was my namesake Jonah.He too like Chief Nguli, and Chief Kivati, owned an old landrover as well. As I grew older, I never got to see these men again. But their influence in my life left a big empressions. I can’t seem to know why they had such influence in me, but suffice to to say that, they all stood for something. They all contributed a lot in their communities. They also had strong family ties were leading in some ways among their communities.
I was also greatly influenced by my late elder brother Lawrence Kambona Matee. Kambona was unique and different in some ways. We have a thirteen years age difference. I hardly saw much about him in my early childhood. He completed intermediate school at Mulala before I new him, and proceeded to Mumbuni Seconday School in Machakos. He never really got to come home a lot. From some of his pears like Mwatu, he was a smart student in school, for the most part. When he completed secondary school which was a Cambridge form of education system, he left his school books at home in a small house which he build himself, and which he never stayed long. I got to occupy his little house while he was away. I discovered that he had a huge volume of books. He particularly had a he collection on books in literature, History, Geography and Politics. I fell in love with his books. He was gifted with good hand writing. He kept extensive written notes. He was artistic and he could draw all types of maps using ballpoint-pens. This impressed me. I began to practice drawing as well. I soon realized I could easily draws pretty good. I was surprised that I could draw all types of maps including world maps very easily without any need of rubbing it off. Soo my younger brother Pamba began to follow me and he soon began to draw s well. Yes, Kambona loved literature and politics and he had many political discourses and especially autobiographies. I read almost all of them and gained good knowledge. When Kambona got a job in DCK at Masongoleni, for about three years he never came home. As a young boy, I wanted to connect with him. Nthenge Munyao, and Musyimi Soo were working at DCK during this time. I requested my mother to ask them to take me to DCK. I think the year was about 1973, or, some time early 1974. I found he was still single. He was by then dating Rose Bahati Mwikali. Kambona was also dating another light-skinned beautiful girl called Marry. I fell in love with this part of Ukambani. There was a lot of water flowing and I loved it. I later visited him again around 1975. This time he had married Rose Bahati Mwikali and they had their first born Cosmas Maingi. Maingi was big and he could sit down and feed himself. Kambona was very hard on the little boy. Through the years, I visited with him regularly and we bonded very well. I think we had a very close affinity to each other.
It was said many times within the family that Kambona was a good student and that he performed fairly well in school. At some time, I sought to find out from Mwatu who was one of his class-mate from primary school. I wanted to know why, given he was smart enough, he did not pull out quite well in final exams. Mwatu believed that it was because he was a spoiled child. Even though did not buy that school of thought thought yet I respected Mwatu point of view. These two were classmates from primary through Cambridge. To me, it was more than spoling of a child. Looking back into restrospecitve in the way our father raised us as children, and in contrast to what I would consider a better way to do it, it is apparent that, there was lack fatherly mentorship. Cognisant of the fact that he did not receive such good parentage himself, I would say he did the best he could in given circumstances. He provided all what we needed for basic amenities and I think he believed that as long as there was enough food in the house, then, he had performed his duty. As an outgoing person, he was always on the move. There was not a lot of one on one father-child relationship. I have come to maintain that, if my father kept an eye on Kambona, and especially if he paid attention to his schoolling performances, this young boy would have gone very far. He was very talented and had a strong personality. He was a straight forward person, with an unassuming personality.
Like father like son, Kambona did not know how to raise his chidren on a one-on- one father child-relationship. Both my father and Kambona did not know how to spend what I would call ‘good quality time’ with their children, and the family as a whole. I think, there was a plenty of opportunity to do better. Lest I be mistaken, for ingratitude for these two great family members, they both provided, for basic amenites pretty well, but emotionally, they did not connect well to their children. Family life is more than the provision of the basic amenities. It is being there for your family. I don’t mean to say that I scored any better in this respect, nor, am I trying to point an accusing figure on my parents who have passed on. But rather, to underscore the principle that, no success can compensate for a broken family. I strongly believe in what has been tought by my Church leaders that, any meaningful success of importance, and with an eternal bearing, that you can ever make in this life, you can only do it within the walls of your own home. This is a true principle. Anything else, more or less than this is of no eternal significance.
I think my father’s outlook was shaped by his African background in which he grew up. He was for the most part, a good, jovial and an otgoing man. He did not indulge in alcohol, nor, did he, smoke, or angage in any outward lifestyle which was wanting. He came home early. Every time he came home he would cheerfully call for his wives. “Where is Esther?” he would call walking on his quick foot steps. Dad was probably five feet and five inches tall. What he missed from his height, he made it up with his charisma, and strong personality.
He owned a short gun and a riffle, and he loved game hunting. He was also a sharp shooter. A few of his close friends like Kyale Mwendwa, Ex Chief Nguli, Chief Kivati owened short guns and riffles as well, and loved to go on game hunting expenditions. In our younger years, dad would come home, pick his favourite short gun and walk out. He walked quickly. Soon we would here gun shorts in the distant grooves of trees. We would run and run towards the direction of the gunshots. We knew he had shot some birds. Our favourite was guinnea fowls, known as ‘Nganga’ in my native laguage. These birds, tasted like chicken. If we did not quickly catch up with him, dad would give every game meat to anybody on the way. He was a generous man.
My mother on the other hand was what can be considered as a work-holick. She started practicing small business at Nguumo village Mbui Nzau in her teenage years. At Mbui nzau, she used to buy tobacco leaves, dry them up and sell the tobacco for profit. She also sold sugarcane juice to beer brewers. She worked hard all her life. She would wake up as early as 5:00 AM. By the time everybody else woke up, she had worked in the farm already. My mother made us work really hard in the farm. As usual with most kids, we never seemed to like it, but we liked everything else which came with hard work. My mother was a very passionate and highly driven woman. She had no formal education except a little Adult Education classes, and vocassional training id Agriculture she received at katumani. At eighty six years old, she has refused to hang her boots off. She still keeps lifestock, and continues to practice little farming. My mother takes a lot from her mother Mutheo, daughter of Koso and Ndunge. Mutheo worked on her farm way into her late ninentees. My marternal grandmother Mutheo was approximately one hundred and six years old when she died. She told me that she witnessed the Lunatic East African Express when it passed through Emali on its way from the Port of Mombasa to Kisumu in 1898. She told me that she was a teenager, and walked all the way to Emali Railway station to witness it. I estimated that she was probably fitteen to seventeen years old. This gives me a threshold of one hundred and six years.
While growing up as child in my early years in the seventies, I wanted to see the World out there. My father and his business partiners operated a Wearhouse and a Beer Distribution Company at a local Market called Matiliku. They owned several delivary trucks. Once every week, they used to go to Machakos town. I would hear stories about Machakos. I developed desire to visit the Town. I pestered my father many times for the opportunity. For some reason, he never seemed to see it as of any importance to me. One day, he surprised me when he suddenly told me to prepare to go to Machakos the following day. The schools were closed. I was very excited. As all little children do, we cherished motor rides. The experience was always exhilarating. You would see all these trees passing by at a high speed. We really cherished this moment. You can imagine what I felt that night. When the morning came, my elder brothers Mbai also Pamba wanted to jumb on board as well. So, we went. At Salama we enjoyed the celebrated cap of tea and milk. Salama was a small town situated a long the main Highway which cut cross a along European settlers cattle ranges. Milk was very plenty. They did not mix tea and water, but milk only. The tea was famous. Off, we went to Machakos Town. What I saw was not what I had imagined in my little village mind. The town was big and mind boggling. It was really quite big, than I could have ever imagined.The size was buffling for an eleven, twelf years old kid. Every thing I saw was beyond my scant imagination; the large shops, the buzzing busy streets, the factories, the restaurants, the whole market stores, etc. I saw Indians merchants for the first time. The city was huge. I wondered how people found their way out. I wondered if there would ever be time in my life, when I will ever be able to find my way a lone in the city. These were some of my early childhood experiences that opened my eyes, and actually helped me to know that there was a large world out there.
Another experience which followed this one was when in class five, we visited the port of Mombasa. I saw the Indian Ocean for the first time. It was beautiful and buffelling. We saw Indian and Arabic young boys playing football. We looked ackward and fearful. I realized that the world was large and we were leaving on the edge. The experience opened my eyes.
In 1977, I joined Mulala Secondary school, and completed form four in 1980. I repeated form three at Ngoto High School in 1981. I was placed in form three because there was no opening in Form four class opening. I completed in 1982. I took two years out during which I taught in a local primary school and also worked as ‘Jua Kali’ in a small factory at Machakos Town. With the help of my late Elder brother, Kambona Matee, I proceeded to St. Marys High School Kitale in 1985-1986, for advanced Level. Going back to my primary days in primary school, and upto this time, I was pleaqued with little unknown autoimmune diseases of all sorts. I was a misarreble child.
In the following years, subsequent events kept shaping my outlook and expanding my horizons. One particular event was in 1987 while teaching in one school at Kambu, that I realized how our system of education was not good. It was meant to reward the academically talented students only. The system focused on teaching pupils on how to remember facts, and nothing on how to apply the principles they learned. As I taught these pupils, I realized that any average child had the potential to excel in his or her own way given the necessary attention. Children needed to be taught to understand concepts, and how to apply them in their lives.
It was during this time in 1987, that I was prosylated into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Little did I know then, that this one single event would turn out to be a pivotal point in my life. It began to become clear that God had been preparing me for the Restored Gospel for quite a good time.
My conversion into LDS Church, took place at the hometead of Gidion Kasue, the father to Benson Kioko Kasue, Nickson Ngui Kasue, Tom Kasue, and Julius Kaoli Kasue. Kasues, home was not far from the little make-shift market called Mbukoni. This small market is located on the slopes of Kyulu hills. It was here that It was here that I was introduced to an Elderly couple missionary called Elder Philiph. I was baptized in 7/15/1987. The Kasues had received earlier received the Restored Gospel from an American Expartriate who was working at Kiboko as an Agronomist. Gidion Kasue got acquinted with this expatriate family while working at this family get away lodge at Kiboko. Our friendship with the Kasues would grow and strengthen though the years. I owe a lot, to this family.
Come to think about it, if it was not for my poor health experiences, and missing school opportunities as I wanted, my ife course would have taken a different direction, and I would have been probably not been possible forme to find the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am left to conclude that, God works among his children in many mysterious ways.
My brief experience with the Church from, 1987-1990, prepared me to serve as a full time missionary from 1990-193. I served in Kenya Nairobi Mission which covered four countries; Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda. Although I was not as prepared as I would have liked to be, yet my mission was a preparatory time for me to build my own faith and testimony. I know look forward to serve another full time mission as a senior couple. I will prepare until I will be ready for it.
The day I started primary school is not recorded. It is very strange because my father almost recorded all the major events for his children. Nevertheless, I have very nostalgic memeries about it. Nothing was planned. My half sister Muthoki and I were playing outside our expansive compound at our homestead at ‘Kithamani’ one morning when I hard my mother exclaim that, “this children have outgrown their age and needed to go to school”. This was the end to our childhood blis. The following mornig, mom led us through a dusty path behind Mbai Matee compound through (kwa) Daudi Masila to Matiliku Primary school. At Matiliku we found a few familiar faces; our cousins Nduku, and Mwikali daughters to Auntie Munyiva. We made other new friends; the Kilambya sisters Nzali, and Ndanu. Wayua Muathe and his half brother Mutinda Muathe, Mwongeli Mbilo, and her short sister, Jomo Musyimi joined us later on. Wambua Sammy’s mother, Ruth Kivati, upon hearing that we had joined school brought Wambua the following day. We were also joined by the late Muli. She was the youngest in the class. Other classmates were; Muteti Malevu, Wambua Mulandi (Ngole), Mutuku Nyili and his brother. I have never seen them since in1970 when I left Matiliku and joined my half sister Muthoki at Masumba Primary school. Other classmates who have since passed on were the late Kamina Ngundo, and Wambua Mutua (Kasongoi). Our teachers were Mr. Makula King’uu, Mrs Katilimu, and the principle was called Nthatu.
At Matiliku they used to put us in three class rolls. The first roll was named Lion, the second roll was Buffalo, and the third roll was Zebra. Zebra was meant for the ‘stupid’ kids. The first roll was placed the ‘bright’ kids. The youngest of us all were were slammed into the Zebra roll. Most of us like me came to believe that were either stupid or bright by the roll we were placed on. It was not until many years later in my life that I realized that the kids placed on the Zebra roll were two to three years younger. Some of our class mates were way up into their early teensage.
At Masumba I made many good friends; Ngonde, Kyangamwe, Muendo Kilokosi, Mutesa, and Wanza Robert. Over the years I have met Mutesa several times. All these were very talented kids in their own way.
In 1997, I enrolled at the LDS Business Collage Salt Lake City Utah. In 2000, I enrolled at the Brigham Young University Provo Utah Political Science and Communication studies.
In 1st June 2004, Chuma Matee, and Kyeni Matee, also known in government records as Rechel Lynne Bryant, we were joined in the Holy bonds of matrimony for time and eternity, according to the ordinance of God and the Laws of the Land, in the Orlando Florida Temple in Windermere, Orange County Florida. Kyeni and I were not blessed with children. In order to give back to our community, in the year 2010 while visiting back home in Kenya, we met these four wonderful children on very special circumstances and we decided to foster them. They have become like our real children. We don’t see them as foster kids.
These are our 4 Foster children
1. Faith Owila (18th May 1992)
2. Paul Otieno
3. Maurine Syombua (8/24/1996)
4. Kyalo
NB: Faith Owila Otieno was born in 18/05/1992, at Pumwani Children Hopspital Nairobi. Faith has six siblings, three boys and three sisters. She is the fourth born. Faith started primary school in Kayole primary school Nairobi. Faith attended ST Mathew High School Nairobi for her Secondary Education from 2011-2014.
Apart from the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have passion for family life, and Permaculture. According to Wikipedia, “Permarculture is simply a system of agricultural and social design principles centered on around simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems”. It intergrates two concepts; permanent ‘agriculture’ and ‘permanent culture’as was understood by its founders David Holgren and and his professor Bill Mollison who believed that social aspects were integra to a truly sustainable system. These two gentle men were inspired by Masanobu Fukuras natural farming phylosphy.
“Permaculture has many branches that include but not limited to ecological design, ecological engineering, environmental design, construction, and integrated water resource management that develops sustainable architecture, regenerates and self-maintains habitat and agricultural systems modeled from natural ecosystems”. According to Mollison, “permaculture is a philosophy of working with rather than against nature…and looking at plants, animals and insects in all their functions, rather treating any area as a single product system”.
The reason I have came to admire permaculture design is because it emphasizes patterns of landscape, functions, and species assemplies. It determines where these elements should be placed so they can provide maximum benefit to the local environment. The fundamental idea of permaculture therefore, is maximizing useful connections between components and synergy of the design. The focus of permaculture therefore is not on each separate entity, but rather on the relationships created among elements by the way of they are placed together. This design system of idea, therefore seeks to minimize waste, human labor, and energy input by building systems that produce a high density of food and material with minimal input.
I love nature and particularly planting things. My best plant is called Euphorbia Ingens. Euphorbia tree constitutes a large and diverse family of a flowering plant with over two thousand species. My favourite spieces is a common enormous genus which belongs to the very diverse Euphorbia family (Euphor biaceae) with atleast seven thousand five hundred species. It is a cuctus-like succulent giant rubber plant that rivals in size the North American Sahuaro and Organ Pipecaeti. This plant thrives within the Africa Savannah rgions with the most minimal amount of water. My other best plant is a canophy looking shrump which thrives well in most dry areas of East and West Kibwezi Division. I don’t know the name of this it. This plant is at its best during the dry seasons when it shades out all its leaves. It is most likely to be found in other dry parts of Kitui as well.
Robert Pamba Matee and Janet Kambua Kivuva
1. Festers Baraka Pamba (1996)
2. Daniela Wambua Thome
3. Nelson Mandela
4. Peter Pamba Matee
5. Naomi Ndinda
Father to Janet Kambua is Wambua Kivuva. Mather to Kambua is Merry Nzakwa. Father to Merry Nzakwa is Mathelya. Father to Mathelya is Mukolo. Father to Mukolo is Wungu. Mukolo was taken by Mutwa’ithele from Mutisya. Mukolo and Mutwa’ithele were distand cousins. (Mwanaasa)
Mathew Kauma Matee and muthoki
1. Esther Nthenya(1997)
2. Kyalo
3. Mwelu
4. Marry
Nganga Mutwa’ithele and Ngami Ilaa
1. Mutuku
2. Wayua (married to Mbindyo )son of Ngati, mother to Muange,
3. Kasiva (Married to Muthama) Mother to Munguti
4. Daudi Nganga
NB: Ngami is daughter to Kako who the son of Malalu, who is son of Nyali, who is son of Mukonze..
Mutuku Nganga and katulu Muthiani
1. Wambua (1968)
2. Boy
3. Boy
4. Monicah (married a grand son of Kiunga, who is son of Kasomo)
5. Boy
6. Boy
7. Boy
NB: Katulu, mother to Monicah, is daughter to Muthiani. Muthiani is the son of the 3rd wife of Kasomo called Mithemba. Muthiani was married to Mbula.
Daudi Nganga and Mueni
1. One
2. One
3. One
4. One
5. One
6. One
NB: Daudi Nganga first wife died in her first child birth.
MULI NGANGA AND WIFE NGINA
Ngina was married at Makindu where Muli was working with East African Railways. She comes from Kwa Mbaa Kivandi. A section of Mbaa Kivandi lived at a place in Kikumbulyu called Masongoleni. That is why she named her first daughter Masungula. Masungula was born at Masongoleni according to Mutie Mwongela. Mutie knows the exact place of the Railway station where his grand father worked and lived. I request Mutie to take a picture of the station so we can pass it to our next generation.
1. Masungula (a daughter)
2. Munyao (husband to Nduku Ngati)
3. Wilson Mwongela
4. Nduku (mother to Makula)
Muli Nganga and second wife Kasina
1. Grace Mutete
2. Mbaluka (she migrated to Taveta)
3. A boy died young
Grace Mutete Muli, and Matheka.
Matheka is the yonger brother to Esther Nthenya Matee. Mutete is a daughter of Muli half brother to Nganga
1. Muema
2. Musau
3. Wanza
4. Muli
5. Kalondu (married Kiima kya Iveti Machakos)
NB: Matheka died early in life. The Kavandi family gave Grace Mutete to Kitaka son of Itula. From that relationship was born all the children except Muema.
Munyao Generations
Munyao had two wives. The first wife was Matata, the daughter of Malalu, and the second wife was Nduku the daughter of Ngati. Nduku was always refered to as Ngati. Nduku’s household lived opposite to Thomas King’oo.
Munyao and Matata
Matata the 1st wife of Munyao was a daughter of Malalu son of Nyali, who was a son of Mukonze, of the family of Mbaa Mata, who is the father of Muti, who is the father of Muthiani, who is the father of Mbindo. They are from A Kitutu sub-clan of Kamba people. Pastor Simon Matonoi is also from ‘mbaa’ Mata. Malalu and Itula were (mundu na mwanaa inya) first cousins. Itula is father to Esther nthenya Matee.
Kimeu the 1st born of Munyao and Matata was married to a wife called Mulee, a very jovial woman. They divorced and she went back to her people. Kimeu was a very tall and lanky person just like her mother Matata. He attended Ngoto High school. He was born around 1946. My father helped him get a job with the Machakos County council together with his younger brother Kimilu. Kemeu lived a hard life. He worked manual labour for the most part of his life. When he divorced, he turned into much alcohol, and lived a lonely life until he died of cancer some time is the eighties.
Munyao and Matata
1. Kimeu. (1946).
2. Kimilu (diseased)
3. Mbiti (diseased)
4. Kisina the last born alive and is married to Ngeneei, and they have several children.
NB: Mbiti was married to Cosmas Munyao. Cosmas was a primary school teacher at Ngelenge when he met Mbiti. They moved and settled at a small village called Congo at Kambu near Iiani Primary school. She had several sons, and daughters. Mbiti lived close to Amos Mbwete 3rd wife rural home at Congo village. This is the same village where Ndinda Mbwete rural home is located. Cosmas was at some time the Head master of Ivingoni, Secondary school. Mbiti’s second born is called Mbula. She is a University graduate and at some time she was a teacher at Nthongoni Secondary school. Another son also became a teacher as well. I was acquided to Mbiti’s first born a boy who lived with Kisina for some time while going for his A level studies. He was a short light skinned young man who resembled his father, and was also a very close friend to Kiio Mbwete. Both Cosmas and Mbiti are diseased. I taught most of Mbiti’s children at Iiani primary school Kambu. I got to know her family and visited with them often at their rural home. It is possible that all the children of Muli and Matata are disposed to a certain kind of cancer. This is because, three of their children have passed on from related ailments, these are; Kemeu, his younger brother Kimilu, and then Mbiti. Of the four siblings, only Kisina is a life.
Munyao’s and Nduku
1. Mengele (diseased)
2. Njoronge Munyao
3. Nthembwa
4. Nthenge(1956
5. Mbulwa (1958)
6. Christine Muthoki Munyao(1961)
7. Mukonyo (married to Kamaru of kwa mbaa Kavita) (1965)
8. Mbula married to Mwania Makula (1966)
9. Kanywele last born. (1968)
Juice Muthoki bought a property not far from her sister Kanywele who is married to Mwania Makula at a place near a small seasonal river called Ngai Ndethya, close to the family of ‘mbaa’ Ndoo.
Mukonyo is married to (Kwa mbaa) Kavita Mbenuu. Her husband is called Kamaru. She is married to the same family with Mumbua Matee.
NB: The Kasomo family intermarried a lot with mbaa Mwithui. I will in this family history only chronical the generations of ‘mbaa’ Kasomo only where the two families linked together through marriage, or any other kind of kinship. For instance, because Sarah wife to kavita Mutwethele is a daughter of Mawau son of Kasomo, for the sake of the generations of Kavita Mutwa’ithele and Sarah Maweu, I will chorical down her generations going back as far as I can get. The same applies to Katumbi Kivuva, and Muthoki Munyalo, wife to Kauma. These two women, generations goes back to Kasomo. Therefore, the genelogy of kasomo family will feature a lot in these records. Another example is Katulu Mutuku. She is a daughter Muthiani, who is son of Kasomo. We have also Kasule who is the daughter of Kasomo and Ngusye. Kasule is married to Lele Sila of ‘mbaa’ Mwithui. We have also Mumbua Sila, the younger sister to Lele, who was married to Kisingu the son of Kasomo. We also have wife to Muthama of mbaa Kasomo who is the daughter of Nganga of ‘mbaa’ Mutwa’ithele. I have no other vested interest in the family history of (Mbaa) Kasomo except only on those specific cases where these two families the daughters and sons share a common ancestry through intermarriage relationships. I should also point out that this family history is lacking in many ways. It is not meant to be a piece of literature or grammar. Proper language use is not what inspired me to put together this family record. I have always felt that it was something noble to preserve our history. No body knows your history better than yourself. If we don’t tell and preserve it, no body else will do it for us. This is just a scratch. Very important dates, like birth, death, and marriage are missing. We are also missing actual names. A lot of people mentioned here is by their nick names. I request the good will of those who will get a chance to read this record to feel free to share whatever information they have with me and I will document it for our posterity.
Kasomo Mbithi
He had three wives, listed in the order of their seniority.
1. Ndekee ( Mutono)clarify
2. Ngusye (Syuntheke)
3. Mithemba
Kasomo and first wife Motono
1. Keli (Kisingu)
2. Kiunga
3. Matole
4. Katumbi
Kasomo and second wife Ngusye aka (Syuntheke)
1. Ndambuki (died young)
2. Koki
3. Kasule
NB: According to Ruth Kivati Kinyumu, Ngusye was a very unique woman. She was very brave. She was very slim and this could be the reason why she was christined ‘Syuntheke’ which translates the slim one. She was a very light skinned, which lightness is easily visible in all her offsprings. It was told how she used to wait for her husband with a matchete at the gate of her homestead. In those days, the homestead gates were just a branch of a thorny tree placed between several wooden poles. It was ordinarily usual for men to hang out together for a local brew and return, home drunk. It was told how Ngusye did not take that nonesence. I have talked earlier that Kasomo and Kaula were ‘mundu na mwanaainya’ second cousins meaning that their mothers were sisters. It was said that this two cousins were very close friends. Their kinship relationship was extended to other bounderie. Whether it was within the customary norms I don’t know. But a guarded rumour within the two families has it that, Kasomo was the first to sire Kivindu with Kaulas first wife Nzisa, and in return, Kaula with Ngusye sired Kasule. Kaula like Syuntheke were both relatively fairly light skinned people. Their rather light color is easily noticeabe among all their offsprings. We have another similar relationship within the Lele family. If you happen to have known Kasule, daughter to Ngusye, and you happen to meet the two daughters of Musyimi Lele and his first wife Katiwa, you will have no second guess. I am cognizant of the sensitivity of these relationships. My intentions on sharing these delicate family secrets is not for the purpose of pointing out personality weakness, nor passing judgement on people, but rather to show that people are natural beings and subject to human weaknesses.
My grandmother Mutheo was actually a concubine on the household of Mweneweu. But because Mweneweu had no son, my marternal grandmother Mutheo was given to Itula (mwanaaithe). My mother Nthenya was never comfortable in accepting the fact that she was born of a concubine relationship. I suppose it was a social stigma then as it is even today. My father Matee was born when her mother Mwelu went to (‘uendo’. I was told that Ngati father to Mbindyo was actually father to my father Matee. Ngati family always treated us with a lot fondness. Ngati family comes from the (Akamba) sub clan of ‘Atangwa’. The Atangwa clan comes from a daughter called Ndangwa who lived in a village in Mbooni called Utangwa. It was said that she had strong witchcraft and and when they kicked her out of the village, they could not shoot her (‘ikuu’ Ithitu sya uwe), her medicine guards. This is because she was highly treated in traditional medicine. It was said that, the metallic arrows would not crack through the guards. From utangwa, it was said that she took her family to Kiima Kimwe near Masaku. Iluvya the father to Masaku, and grandfather to father to Paul Ngei come from this family.
Nzwawa sya Kasomo and Mithemba
1. Kitonyo
2. Muthiani
3. Mulungye
Nzwawa sya Kitonyo and first wife Nditi
1. Kyaula
2. Munywoki (father to Jimmy)
3. Muthama
4. Mbula
NB: Muthama wife is Kasiva daughter to Nganga and Ngami. Kasiva died Oct.2014.
Nzwawa sya Muthiani and Mbula
1. Kioko (father to Kilonzo)
2. Mutuli
3. Maneeno
4. Mbeta
5. Katulu
NB: Katulu is married to Mutuku Nganga
Nzwawa sya Keli (Kisingu) and first wife Mumbua Sila
1. Malinda
2. Kavuo
3. Mukui
4. Mulwa (jet)
5. Wanza
6. Mutuku
NB: Mumbua was a younger sister to Lele Sila. She was the first wife of Kisingu.
Nzwawa sya Keli Kisingu and second wife Ngene
1. Musembi
2. Daudi
3. Muthungu
4. Muia
Nzwawa sya Kili Kisingu and third wife Katuli
1. Makaa
2. Ngui
3. Ndunge(had no children)
Nzwawa sya Kiunga and first wife Nzula
1. Kiema
2. Munyilu
Kiunga aka Kivai and second wife Ngii
1. Maweu
2. Kivuva Kimei (Nthatu)
3. Katuli
4. Nzuve
5. Kasiva
Nzwawa sya Kiema and Katiwa
1. Mithano (lives Kalima Koi Machinery)
2. Kyalo wa Lului
3. Mulwa
Nzwawa sya Maweu and first wife Munungwa
1. Mbuvi (diseased)
2. Nzomo
3. Suli
4. Serah
5. Katindi
6. Kavete
7. Katheu
NB: Sarah is married to ‘kwa mbaa’ Nganga. Her husband is Julius Kavita mutwa’ithele King’oo.
Nzwawa sya Kivuva Kimeu (Kiunga) and first wife Mukei
1. Litha (married to kwa mbaa Nzola)
2. Richard Kivuva (Mumelika)
3. Tabitha
4. Nzula (married Kisumu)
5. Ndunge (married Kangundo)
6. Ngao
7. Muendo
Nzwawa sya Kivuva Kimeu Kiunga and second wife Mulike
1. Muli
2. Mwania
3. Nzyoki
4. Katumbi
5. Mwangangi
NB: Katumbi married to ‘kwa mbaa’ Matee. Katumbi was traditionally married to Benjamin Musyoki as a concubine.
Matole Kasomo aka (Muivu or Mwalika) He had three wives.
1. Nditi
2. Malamba
3. Kathule
Matole and first wife Nditi
1. Musau
2. Ndili
3. Kavuu
4. Wayua
5. Mutulu
Matole and second wife Malamba
1. Kaindi
2. Munee
3. Mwanthi
4. Mbethi
Matole and third wifeKathule
1. Munee
2. NB: had only one child
Nzwawa sya Kavuu mwiitu was Matole
1. Munyalo
2. Katuta
3. Kasimu
4. Kang’ethe
5. Susana
6. Kambua (diseased)
7. Vaati (boy)
NB: Munyalo is father to Muthoki, who is married to Kauma Matee.
Nzwawa sya Katuta and Juliana Kasivi
1. Katumo
2. Mutunga
3. Kimanthi
4. Kiilu
5. Muendi
6. Ndanu
7. Mbula
8. Kavuu
Nzwawa sya Kasimu and Serah Kamene
1. Kavuu
2. Musa
3. Mandela
4. Baraka
5. Nuru
6. Mboya
7. Adams
8. Mary Nditi
Nzwawa sya kang’ethe and Nduku
1. Malia
2. Muasi
3. Mbete
4. Nthenya
5. Keli
6. June
Nzwawa sya Munyalo and first wifeMbuve (diseased)
1. Muthoki
2. Kyuma
3. Makumi
4. Komu
NB: Muthoki is married to Mathew Kauma of ‘mbaa’ Matee.
2nd wife to Munyalo is called Alice. They have no children.
Nzwawa sya kasomo and second wife Ngusye (Syuntheke)
1. Ndambuki (died young)
2. Koki
3. Kasule
NB: Kasule is married to ‘kwa mbaa’ Mwithui. She was second wife to lele sila
NB: Because Ndambuki died young, his wife Kamanthe was traditionally married over to Matole. From that relationship was born several children.
Nzwawa sya Ndambuki and first wife Mwelu
1. Solomon Kaviti
2. Kasimu
3. Mbango (daughter)
4. Mukethe (daughter)
Nzwawa sya Mutiso Ngati and Mbango
1. Longe
2. Muindi
3. Philiph
4. Muviti
5. Muluki
NB: Mother to Mutiso Kasamba was called Mueke. She was daughter to Nzuvu, who was daughter to Kisambuli, who was the son of Ngiti, who was the son of Mwithui.
Nzwawa sya Munee
1. Nzeve
2. Susana
3. Mboya
4. Elizabeth
Nzwawa sya Ndambuki and kamanthe (ng’anganga)
1. Sammy Kinyumu Ndambuki (2014)
2. Kyeveo(2015)
3. Kyekuyu (married to Mbuta Ndolo)
4. Nyamai Ndambuki
5. Mulei Ndambuki
6. Muthoka Ndambuki
7. Muthini Kasomo
NB: Muthini Kasomo is married from ‘kwa mbaa Mwithui. Mwithui begot Ndutu, who Begot Kiuluku, who was father to Kinyenze, who was father to Muthiani Nzongolu, who was was father to Kalulu. Nzongolu is also called Muthiani Nganga. This is because, his father Kinyenze died young. His mother Koki was traditionally married over to Nganga. From that relationship, Nzongolu aka Muthiani was born.
NB: Muthoka’s daughter Zinorah is married to ‘kwa mbaa’ Mwithui. Mwithui was father to Ngiti, who was father to Mbao, who was father to Kaula, who was father to Kiswii, who was father to Kathindi, who was father Benjamin Nguli, who is husband to Zinorah. From Zinorah and Nguli, Katulu Muthiani, and Mutuku Nganga, Mumbua Silam and Kisingu, Sarah Kivuva and Julius Kavita King’oo, the families of Mwithui and Kasomo and linked together.
THE FAMILY OF (MBAA) MAMA
(Mama) is a Kamba word which loosely refers to the mother’s side of the family. I should point out here that the Kamba people have a patriarchal order similar to the Hebrew people in the Bible. This means, families are reckoned with their father’s side. It also means that, women are married off by their parents into the families of their husbands. This also means, that, daughters records are not kept on the parrents side of the family. Because of this patriarchal order, daughters who were married off by their parents did not have any birthright to inheritance of their perents lands. This also, explains why a lot of the information for our daughters has not been documented in the past. In the new Kenya constitution amalgamated in 2008, daughters or women as whole have been given equal rights of inheritance, or claim from the property of their, parents, or, even husbands.
My mother is called Esther Nthenya. Mother to Nthenya is called Mutheo. Because of her seniority, she was always refered to as (inya) queen mother. Mutheo was born some time at about 1885. This means she was approximately sixteen years old when the Lunatic Express passed through Emali. She died some time in 1994. That gives her, approximately 108 years old by the time she died. She told me that she was a teenager when the Lunatic Express passed through Emali, township in1898-1902, and actually walked to the town to witness it. This was following the completion of the Mombasa Kisumu Railway line. Mutheo age mate was Kamanthe Ndambuki, mother to Sammy Kinyumu. My grandmother was a very good woman. She visited my mother quite oftern, and when she did it, she was jovially welcomed. She was a story teller. She worked very hard in little farm at (kwa) Syutondo. This was a property she inherited from her grandfather Musyimi (Mwenewe). When my father was demarcating the Nguu Range into small pieces, grandmother went to Mweini and requested my father for a piece of property. She was apportioned a land at Katangi. I once visited her on her little property. She was doing great even though she was all alone. She still kept her cattle and goats. Late on as she got older, she was forced to abandon the property. One of her granddaughter called Mukulu took over the property.
When I was a young boy, my grandmother Mutheo moved to Simba Hills. My mother told me that she was invited by an old member of the family from her mothers side {Mwipya). She does not know her name but he was refered to as the son of (Mwana ‘wa’ Mutilu). This is the family where the mother to Kitaka comes from. Kitaka is half brother to my mother. My mother told me that this son of Mutilu came back and sold all their (ng’undu) pieces of land, at Ititu. These were the (maanzo), the family of Itula were cultivating. That is why the Itula family owns very little land today. When my grandmother visited this place at Simba hills, she came back home very healthy and nourished. Simba hills (Simbaili) was also refered to as Mbale by my people.
Mutheo was a daughter of Koso. Koso was son of Kaloo, and Kaloo was son of Mbondo. Mweneweu used to call Mutheo (ng’ambodo) meaning the granddaughter of Mbondo.
The Household of Koso and his first wife Ndunge
1. Kimuyu
2. Mutheo
NB: Kimuyu lived in the area of Nduaani. Kimuyu was dumb.
Kimuyu and his wife Nduki
1. Kalekye (married to (‘kwa’ mbaa) Kata. Diseased.
2. Nduku (married Kaumoni)
3. Nthesya (moved to Kikumbulyu)
The mother to Mutheo was called Ndunge. She was a light skinned woman. Ndunge was a witchdoctor among her people. She practiced a lot of traditional medicine woman. The ‘Kilumi’ festival used to pitch at her compound for almost two full moons. The mother to Ndunge was called syukivati. Her mother was a light skinned woman. Father to Ndunge was called Ngii. She was commonly refered by senior family members as (ng’aNgii). Ndunge had a brother called Kyongo. Ndunge came from the clan of (Amuiyhiini). Kyongo was from Amuuti clan. Syukivati lived at Ithunguni village Maatha.
Koso and second wife Nthemba
NB: Ndunge paid the bride price for her husband second wife Nthemba, because she was always away practicing her withchdoctor medicine in the surrounding area.
1. Nyamai (diseased)
2. Musembi (diseased)
3. Kiting’a (diseased)
4. Munywoki (not sure)
NB: The whole family of Koso and her children lived at the foot hills of (Kiima kya) Maatha. The location is not far from the homestead of (kwa) Malii. Nyamai migrated to Kambu.
Musyimi aka (Mweneweu)
Mutheo was married into the household of Musyimi) Mweneweu, of the (Amiw’a clan). Mweneweu, as he was commonly called among his pears, had only one daughter called Kako and no son. His wife, Mukulu therefore married Mutheo as a concubine. Acording to the Kamba customs and traditions, Mutheo was given to Itula. Itula was (mwaneethe to Mweneweu). From this marriage between Itula and Mutheo, nine children were born.
Musyimi (Mweneweu) was a ‘Muthiani’. He lived in most part in Kaathi village. His wife was called Mukulu. It was said that Mukulu was a light skin woman. Mweneweu was killed at (Kwa’Syutondo) by (King’ole). The family was paid twelf cows.
Itula was son of Kivandi. Itula and Mwania (wa) Ndua, which Ndua was son of Matheko, Mwololo (wa) Matusa, Kyuma, and Malalu son of (wa) Mukonze, come from the same household of (Amiw’a clan). They all belonged to one family (‘mbaa’ mama). Mukonze was a ‘Muthiani, along with Mutwa’ithele, our Muthiani, Ndive, father to Kituku. The greater part of the family of (mbaa) Kyuma were all brought from Tanzania by Mukonze.
Mwololo (wa) Mutusa
Mwololo had two wives. The first one was called Nga’ndone, and the second was called Mutwangua. Mutethya was a daughter Mwololo and Mutwangua. Mutethyea is long family friend to my mother Nthenya. The first first I once witnessed in my life time, she was treated highly by my mother. Mutethya is married by a man called Mukumbu son of Kinyali. Mukumbu served in the 2nd WW with my father. Mother to Mutethya used to call my mother (inya). Mukumbu and Mutethya have a son called Mbuti. They also have a lot of cows. I understand they live at the hill of (Kiima kya) Nguumo Mbui Nzau a place called Mavisani. Mwololo and wife Mutwa’ngua, have a son called Wambua who is married in the family of (mbaa) Matonoi.
When my mother was a teenager, she was taken to Mbui Nzau, Nguumo village by this family relative, Mwololo Mutusa. It was here, where she started learning small trade of selling processed tombacco, and sugarcane. This was way before she was married to my father Matee.
When my mother went to (Kyengoni) Mangelete to bring her herd of cattle, she passed through Nguumo among her people. Two of her families here at this wide spread area of Kikumbulyu, Mbuinzau, slaoughtered a goat for her, and as an act of honour, asked her to take the goat leg with her.
Musyimi (Mweneweu) had a younger brother called Nyanyae. Their father was called Mutusa. His wife was from the hill (Kiima kya) Nguumo, part of (Kiima kya Mbui Nzau). Nyanyae was the father of Mwololo.
My mother is called Esther Nthenya. Her father was called Itula. Itula was the son of Kivandi. Kivandi was the son of Mikusyo. Mikusyo was the son Ngiti
Mother to Nthenya was called Mutheo. Because of her advanced years, and also her martriarchal role, she came to be commonly refered to as (inya) within the family. This name loosely translates to the queen mother, in the like manner of a queen mother in a ants hill. Our grandmother was really a martriarchal figure in the family. Mutheo was the daughter of Koso. Koso was the son of Kaloo. Kaloo was the son of Mbondo. The father to Itula, who was called Kivandi was (mundu na mwanaaithe) brothers to Malalu son of Nyali who was son of Mukonze. Mutheo was married as a concubine in the household of Mweneweu.
NB: The mother to Koso and Mukolo were sisters. Mukolo is the father to Kivati Mumbua, wife to Sammy Kimunyu Ndambuki. Mother to Mutheo was called Ndunge.
Malalu Nyali and Wambuli
1. Muombe (diseased)
2. Kilundu (diseased)
3. Ndinda (diseased)2008
4. Muindi
5. Musyoki( diseased)(1976)
6. Ruth Katuli
NB: Ndinda is married to mbaa Kituto and lived at Ngulua not far from Ngulua primary school. She was married to Munuve. Kituto father was Ngove. She had a big family.
NB: Musyoki lived at Kaathi nexed to Grace Matheka. Musyoki was married to Rose. They have only one child.
NB: Muombe is married to Kemeile son of Itume. She lived near Kwa Mutula. She had a big family. She has one successful family at Kathuma village near river Mwasang’ombe. Has good terraced farm.
NB: Kilundu is son of Malinda. Both are diseased. Malinda died in Kyamana accident. She was the daughter of Nganga and Mbithe. Mbithe was daughter of Kwinga. Malinda was sister to Mutindi wife to Kinyota.
NB: Katuli is married to Kinyumu (Masalufu) brother to Kamuti. Muindi moved to Tanzania.
Generations of (Mwene Weu) son of Musyimi and his wife Mukulu
1. Kako
2. Had no son
NB: Kako a daughter was the only child.(‘Musyawa’ weka). Mweneweu did not have any son, Mukulu the wife of Mweneweu brought in my grandmother Mutheo as a concubine in order to raise seed in her household. This was because she had no son. This was in accordance to the Kamba customes and traditions. This makes Mweneweu the Grandfather to my grandmother Mutheo. Mweneweu and his wife Mukulu, handed Mutheo to a young male in the family who Itula. It should be made clear that Itula was not a direct son of Mweneweu.
From this relationship between Motheo and Itula was born nine children. In this rather tricky arrangement, Mutheo would refer Mweneweu as her father. I think in our family history on the martriachal side, we need to reckon ourselves, with Mweneweu. On the blood line, all the generation of Mutheo were fathered by Itula.
It is recorded that, Mweneweu was killedby ‘Kingo’le’ at (‘kwa’ Syutondo). The (King’ole) found him working on his figuremillet on his small farm at (Kwa’ Syutondo) . It is said they beat him to death. They were later on forced to pay back.
THE GENERATIONS OF ITULA AND MUTHEO aka (INYA)
1. Mbene (died in June 1949)
2. Soo(died in 1936)
3. Esther Nthenya
4. Nduku (died young)
5. Mwikali (died young)
6. Musau (died young)
7. Matheka
8. Mutono
9. Mbaluka (died young)
NB: By the time my Grandmother Mutheo died, she was survived by only two daughters out of nine children. These are Nthenya, y mother, and Mutono. As of April 2016, the two remaining sisters are stuggling in poor health. Mutono is admitted at Makindu right now, while mom is at home but sickly.
NB: Soo died in 1936 while dad was still in school. He died in Mombasa while working with the East African Railways. Shortly before he died, he had betrothed his bride Ndangwa daughter of Ngati.
NB: Mbene died in June 1949 while pregnant with her fourth child. She died of yellow fever.
The Generations of Mbene and Muange son of Mwangu
1. Muthoka
2. Muteti
3. Munuve(died 2014)
NB: The family of Mbene is strunggling a lot. Of the three sons, I was acquinted with Muthoka. Muthoka has worked for the most part in Emali with the Municipal council. He has poor health and is struggling a lot. Of the remaining two sons, one has passed on. When I went to burry my father back in Kenya,In early 2015, I was priviledged to meet all the three sons. They came to pay homeage to my father. I feel bad because I did not spend enough time with them.
Generations of Muthoka and Mbethi
1. Kimathi
2. Mutuku
3. Nduku
4. Nthenya (married (9/2014) (‘kwa’ mbaa) Kiilu Ilengeni Ngooto.now divorced.
NB: Nthenya (in Bible school)
Generations of Muteti and Ndele
1. Wambua
2. Mwikali Married Kitui
3. Anna
4. Mutave Married to Kivuva Ngove
5. Wambuli
6. Mutinda
7. Kambua married to kwa mba Ngengi
Generations of Munuve and Mumbi
1. Mulinge (1969)
2. Muli (1971)
3. Musungi (1973)
4. Mbeke (1974)
5. Mwangu (1976)
Generations of Mulinge and Anna
1. Musembi
1. Munuve
2. Muia Mutuku Mulinge
Generations of Muli and Anna
1. Wambua
2. To
3. To
4. To
5. Yo
Generations of Musungi and Kambua
1. To
2. To
3. To
4. To
5. To
Generations of Mbeke and Nzuki
1. Mwende
2. To
3. To
4. To
5. To
Generations of Mwangu and Mwethya
1. Mumbi
2. Kioko
3. Mwangu Junior
4. Kasusu
5. Makau
6. Mutina (Boy)
Generations of Soo and Nzesya
1. Nzilili (daughter)
2. Mukulu (daughter) Lives in Mwaini Nguu.
3. Musyimi
NB: Musyimi married to daughter of Kyongo. Nzesya is sister to Nduku Ngati.
Generations of Matheka and Ngrace Mutete
1. Muema
2. Musau
3. Wanza
4. Muli
5. Kalundo (she is married to Iveti)
NB: Grace Mutete is a daughter of Muli (wa) Mutwethele. Her mother was called Kasina, the second wife to Muli.
Matheka was taken to Wamunyu secondary school by Matee Nganga at a place called Mbaikini. He left school and studied Bible under the tutelage of Laws. He became a preacher. He died and was buried at Kiumoni. The grave is not in very far from the church building. He was buried there because his mother Mutheo could not stand to see his coffin. The grave needs to be worked on. I will take care of it t some point.
Christina Mutono and Albert Musina
NB: out of the total six daughters of Mutheo, only Mutono is the surviving sister to my mother Nthenya as of (2016)
1. Clara Kambua
2. Charles Mulei
3. Nzue
4. Wanza (married Kitui)
5. Veronicah Mueni (Moved to Kathekani Mutitu-Andei)
Clara Kambua and Peter Mutanga
1. Charles Nguli Civil Engineer
2. Evalyn Mueni
3. Stephen Mbinda
4. Michael Musomba
Veronicah Mueni and Michael Mutuku
1. No children yet
2. NB: no children.
NB: Simon Muia is brother to Albert Musina, which Musina is husband to Catherine Mutono.
Generations of Simon Muia and his wife Mary Katuli
1. Vincent Musomba (lawyer)
2. Gregory Kilosya
3. Flavian Wayua
4. Cosmas Mutule
5. Cymbastian Mutunga
NB: Reckoning with blood liniage, on the side of my mother Esther Nthenya, we come from a (concubine marriage) between Mutheo and Itula. To put the records straight, I need to point out here that, Mutheo was not a wife to Itula. Mutheo was a (concubine) of Mukulu the wife to Mweneweu. Mutheo was given out to Itula by Mukulu, the wife to Mweneweu, for the purpose of raising seeds into her household, because she had no son.
NB: Itula had only one wife called Kavuu. He was iven Mutheo as a concubine by his (mwanaa’ithe) Mweneweu. The following are the sons and daughters of Itula, and his first wife Kavuu, and also their generations.
The Generations of Itula and Kavuu
NB: Kavuu was the only wife to Itula. But Mutheo was given to Itula to raise seeds for the household of Mukulu wife to Mweneweu.
1. Munyilu (diseased)
2. Mukui
3. Muombe
4. Kitaka
5. Syuntheke
6. Mboo
7. Muange
NB: Kitaka was twin to Syuntheke. Mboo was twin bother to Muange. Muombe is married to Ndolo Kitaka Lele. Syuntheke is married to Mutuku who is father to Kitumbo, Musa, Mbaluka, Nthei, and Kyungu.
Generations of Munyilu and Kivuva
1. Muthini (diseased)
2. Rose
3. Wambua
4. Kamene
5. Kulungala
NB: Munyilu settled at Thea. Kulungala is married to Mutuku (wa kwa) mbaa Kasomo.
Generations of Mukui and Kitolo
1. Mutinda
2. Kasivi
NB: Kasivi is 2nd wife to Kioko Lele. Mutinda moved to Kibwezi were he later (died on March 2010)
Generations of Muombe and Ndolo Kitaka Lele
1. Kasiva
2. Kisilu
3. Ngunge
4. Kalondo
5. Mbuve
NB: Mbuve married to Nzenge.
Kasiva First marriage to Kaviti Masio
1. Kamanthe
2. Kyalo
3. Muteti
Kasiva 2nd marriege to Malungu .Generations
1. Mutono
Generations of Syuntheke and Mutuku
2. Kitumbo
3. Musa
4. Mbaluka (diseased)
5. Nthei
6. Kyungu
Generations of kako and Ilaa
1. Ngami
2. Mutua
3. Kavuko
4. Mwikali
NB: Mwikali married to mbaa Mungoli.
NB: Ngami is married to Nganga Mutwa’ithele
Generations of Nyali
1. Malalu
2. Wausi NB: cross check
NB: The mother of the two was taken from Unyamwezi by Nyali.
Generationsof Malalu ( wife not mentioned)
1. Matata
2. Wausi
NB: Matata was 1st wife of Munyao. The 2nd wife was Nduku Ngati.
NB: Malalu was the son of Nyali, who was the son of Mukonze. From Mokonze came the mbaa Kyuma who are mbaa Mwania, Kisini, and Muthiani. Nyali, father to Malalu was a Muthiani and also a ‘Ngumbau’. He lived in the village of Kaathi. Malalu was father to Wausi and Matata the first wife of Munyao Muli, son of Nganga Mutwethele. Wausi was married to Kiswii son of Kaula. According to mom he was a great man. He lived in Ng’etha. He was man of integrity. Mother to Malalu and Wausi were captured from Tanzania by the family Nyali son of Mukonze. I don’t know the name of mother to Wausi. Our grandfather Nganga also went to Unyamwezi land during these migratory explorations.
NB: Kituku ‘wa’ Ndive, the grandfather to Nzomo was a (muthiani’) Along with our Muthiani of ‘mbaa’ Mwithui, and Mukonze were ‘athiani’. Mother to Nzomo ‘wa’ Ndive was called Syukitote and was captured from Unyamwezi. These migrations among the Kamba people, explains why the nation is not really homogeneous. We are infact a mixture of all the, East, Central, southern, and North eastern African groups. We also mixed with our Cushitic neighbours on the East and also the Nilotic groups on the West. The word Kamba came from a slogan (Kukapa Ikamba) which translates to ‘stay on the line’. It was a slogan used during these migrations.
GENERATIONS OF KYUMA
NB: The family of (Mbaa Kyuma) belongs to the larger household of (Mbaa Mama)of the Amiw’wa clan.
These families needs to be tied together; The family of Mwania wa Matheko, who was son Ndua, who was son of Nyenze, and the family of Musomba, son of Kyuma, and the family of Itula, son of Kivandi, who was son of, and the family of Mwololo wa Matusa, and his brother Nyanyae, including the household of Mweneweu son of Musyimi.These families form the large household of (mbaa) Amiw’a clan). They are all closely related. In some ways I don’t really know at this time, these families related to some large extend to the family of Malalu son os Mukonze. This Mukonze family belongs to distant clan of (mbaa Amuuti). From the (ukauti), bloodl line, of Mukonze comes (mbaa) Muthiani, the father to Albert Mbindo Muthiani. From the same blood line, comes pastor Matonoi. Again these households are very closely tied. My father told me that, the whole family of (mbaa) Kyuma, were brought from Tanzania by Mukonze or his son Nyali. Mukonze and Nyali were in essence (Athiani).
NB: (mbaa) Kyuma and (mbaa) Mwithui are linked together through matrimonial relationship between Ndangwa, and Musomba son of Kyuma. Ndangwa was the second wife of Musomba. Ndangwa was the third daughter Kisambuli. Kisambuli and Kaula were half brothers. These two sons come from the generation of Mwithui.
NB: I will need to clarify about Ndangwa. In some records, I am told she was the third daughter of Kisambuli, and in other records, I am told she was the third daughter of Nzuvu. Nzuvu is also mentioned several times, as a daughter of Kisambuli. Who is the second wife to Kyuma, and who is the mother to Musomba.
Kyuma and first wife Itumbi
(1) Mwikya (daughter) diseased
(2) Ngusye
(3) Kavenge
Mwikya is married to (‘kwa)’mbaa’ Mueke, in Mulala. This is the family of counserlor Miluku. The first wife of Kyuma was Itumbi. Kyuma was son of Muthengi and Muthengi was son of Katesua. It was said that Itumbi was a light skinned woman. All the new born childen were (given names) at Itumbi’s house. She had the honor to give children a name which means she was highly respected. The name giving ceremony was very simple; a special (ngima ya wimbi) was cooked and mixed with ghee (butter from cow milk) and placed on a special guard plate called (isee). A seniour woman would then cut out a,dough, of the ‘ngima’ and place it in the palms of the unnamed children until the whole isee was empty. No child could touch the Isee.
Generations of Kavenge and Kinguu
NB: Kavenge and King’uu begot only one child and died. According to Kamba traditions and customes, Kavenge married two concubines.
(1) Nduku (diseased)
(2) Kaunange (diseased)
(3) Kanyambu (daughter of Lele Sila)
NB: Nduku was the daughter of Muli Mutwa’ithele. Nduku gave birth to Makula King’uu as only child.
Generations of Mwikya
She was married to (kwa) mbaa Katula on those side of Mulala. She has a big family.
Muindi (wa) Mbuni was a grandchild of Ngusye.
Kyuma, and his second wife begot Musomba.
Musomba first wife was Wangai the daughter of Mata.
(1) Mwania (diseased 2010)
(2) Muthoki (diseased)
(3) Kisini (diseased)
(4) Mbeleete (wife to Mbindyo mother to Mukiti)
(5) Mutiso (diseased)
(6) Muthiani (diseased) (lived opposite Kisini) He grew a lot of Kasavas.
(7) Kithia
NB: Wangai was commonly refered to as Ng’amata. This is because she was daughter of Mata.
Musomba and second wife Ndangwa
NB: Ndangwa is daughter of Nzuvu, a daughter of Kisambuli, who was a younger brother to Kaula of ‘kwa mbaa’ Mwithui.
(1) Naumi Mutinda (moved to Kambu)
(2) Alice Mwikali Kimweli (died)1990
(3) Nthenya
(4) Kinyili (diseased)
(5) Ruth Katuli (wife to Kamuti)
(6) Elijah Wambua
(7) Kanuu (diseased) lived close to Ngulua Primary scholl.
NB: Alice Mwikali was a very great friend to Esther Ntheya Matee. She was a skinny light skinned and a tall beautiful woman. I have very fond memories of this woman. She was married to Kimweli.
Generations of Alice Mwikali and Kimweli
(1) Esther Kateve Mukwate
(2) Son (married to Mutete Nguyu)
(3) Malika
(4) A daughter
(5) Nzyoki(diseased)
(6) Mutuku
(7) Mata
(8) Son
(9) Musyimi (graduate school)
Generations of Esther Kateve and Mukwate Kathumbi
1. Winfred Mueni (1970)
2. Julius Kyalo(1972
3. Caroline Kalusi(1975)
4. Japeth Mwendwa (1980)
5. Patric Safari (1980)
6. Damaris Mumbua
7. Wambua (1998)
NB: Caroline Kalusi married to Luo land divorced. She has one child called Mulinge.
‘MBAA MAMA’ TO PETER MATEE
Mother to Matee was called Mwelu. He was daughter of Lole from (Amiwa) clan. The mother to Mwelu is not known, but she was refered to as Mwiitu ‘wa’ Ngu. It could have been that she was daughter of Ngu. We have no clear information who was (Kangu). What we know is that, Ka’Ngu was a sister to Nthiwa father to Kamuti from (Aombe clan). In this family of my father’s ‘mbaa’ mama, Mwelu had a brother called Kinyae, and a sister called Mbithe. Mbithe had a son called King’ooto who begot Kitonyo.
Kinyae sons and daughters
1. Mumo
2. Nzivo
3. Mulandi
4. Kathae
5. Nduku Wame
6. Wambua
7. Kinyili ( who is Kinyili)
8. Muthwii
NB: ‘mbaa’ Kitonyo lived in Thea Village. Kitonyo worked with the Colonial Police. He was a very short man just like my father. Nzivo, Mulandi, and Kathae families, lives in Kaathi Village very close to each other. The rest of their families live on those sides if Mwasang’ombe. I associated with them while schooling at Mulala. I remember one woman who was a porter. She made me a ‘Mbisu’ while a day scholar at Mulala Secondary school. Mulandi was married to Esther Nduku. They had several children. The first born served in the Navy, and then there was Ngonyo. Nduku was a very close friend of my mother Nthenya. Nduku died in 2016 of stroke related sicknesses. Wife to Kathae is called Mbulwa daughter of Kimayu of (kwa) ‘mbaa’ Kasomo. All these families of my father’s ‘mbaa mama’ are not doing well. .
A BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LIFE OF PETER MATEE NGANGA
He was born 1923 at Thea Village, the son of the late Nganga Mutwa’ithele and Mwelu Lole. He was circumcised between 1927-1228. His age mates whom they were circumcised on the same day were; Musyimi Lele, and Wilson Mwongela. The circumcision was performed by Kasomo. Kasomo was aged out, and his hands were shaking and unsteady as he performed the rite. He was probably in his late eighties. After the circumcision, he was told that this was going to be his last circumscision procedure. The circumcision took place at his homestead at Kiliani. They then crossed over to Kwa Muli and Ngina, homestead. Musyimi’s age mates Sammy Kinyumu, King’oo Nganga, were circumcised earlier while he was at Wendo with his mother at Mbooni. That explains why he was circumcised later.
In 1934 Matiliku Local Native Council (LNC) was started by a teacher called KIlonzo Ngandi who later joined the Kings African Riffles. Ngandi was proceeded by Nthula, who later on become a politician and a member of the Kenya African Union (KAU). Nthula, would later on be replaced Musau from Mukaa. Musau after retiring from teaching retired at Kambu near Kinyambu. Musau was also replaced by Nthale.
Peter Matee joined Matiliku Local Native Council (LNC) in 1935, for his primary education. He completed in 1938. His classmates at that time were the late William Muia, Joseph Musyimi Lele, Paul Mung’ala Muli, and D. S. Mutooni, among others.
Paul Mung’ala Muli later worked at Nziu court house for several years. William Muia was a 2nd World War veteran. He was released as a corporal. After that he later became a chief at Mbitini. He was later sacked following the break out of Mau Mau in 1952. The Colonial Government then hired Kivati, from Wamunyu. Kinyingi a member of our Ambua clan worked as the secretary to Chief Kivati from 1946-1960. When my father returned from the 2nd World War, Chief Kivati came looking for him. He was hired as an Assistant Clark to Kinyingi (1950-19556). Kanyingi got into trouble with numbers and escaped toTanzania. When he came back he was arrested and jailed. Joseph Ndolo later helped to bail him out.
Matiliku Local Native Council, (M.L.N.C) was established in 1934 by a teacher called Kilonzo Ngandi who later joined Kings African Riffles. Kilonzo Ngandi was replaced by Nthale Nthenge from Iveti hills Machakos.
In 1938, Nthenge who was then an inspector of schools, saw great potential in my father, and took him to Machakos Local Native Council (MLNC at Kwamating’i. In 1939, he sat for his (LNC) exams, passed and joined Machakos Government School for class (4-6), also known as District Education Board (DEB) located on the same school. There were only two Government schools in the whole of Southern Eastern Division as it was called then. These were; Machakos and Kabaa. He studied for only one year, up to 1940, when he joined The Kings African Riffles 1941. His school mates at Machakos were John Kilungya, his younger brother Kyengo Ndile, who later on became the MP for (The Southern Division Makueni), and also David Kiile, who later served as Mayer for Machakos Municipal Council). His other schoolmates during this time where; Thomas Malinda, Guy Muli, Paul Ngei, and Kiamba Mutenge among others.
The principal at the Machakos Government School was Sammy Mbotela. His younger brother Walter Mbotela served as the deputy principal, while their youngest brother, Tom Mbotela worked as a deputy teacher. Tom Mbotela later on joined politics. Even though these two brothers ; Sammy and Tom Mbotela hailed from the Coast, they decided to settled down at a place called Kamuthanga at Kangundo Machakos District as it was known then.
FIRST WORLD WAR
In 1940, Matee joined Kings African Riffles, and soon started shooting courses for several months at Karen Camp Ngong. He also started training school for wireless communication as an operator for 32 weeks which he completed in 1942. He then joined the 2nd Division Unit, and from there he was dispatched to the Middle East, by way of Somaliland, which was under British, and Ethiopia, which was under Italy. Their commander at this Division was General Fox and Filed marshal Smut from South Africa. During this time, war was ranging in the Far East. He returned back to Nairobi March 1943. On the same year, a 2nd Division was reorganized, and his battalion was dispatched to the war zone through Tanzania.
On 23rd June he got into the ship and left for Far West through Cylon (srilanka).
His close friends during this war-time period were; Joseph Musyimi Lele, Chief James Muteti Mwavu, John Kilungya, Jacob Ndutu and William Muia who upon release become the first chief of Mbitini Location.
Matee Batallion was stationed at Colombo the capital of Srilanka, for one year doing training.(1943-1944). In June 1944, he crossed through the Bay of Bankoo to the Far East Parkistan capital Chitgong. He then sailed up through River Brumahbutra and travelled through Rail Road for seven days up to Assam Parkistan and Burma. It was there where in 4/8/1944 they got into the real war zone. His close companion during this time was Alphonse Syuma who also witnessed his Baptism into the Catholic Church. Syuma hailed from from Mwala Mbiuni, not far from Kambaa Secondary school.
In May 1945, war ended. In 1946, he was released as a private officer. In 26/4-1946 he was discharged. Joseph Ndolo (Musyimi) was discharged as a surgent. John Kilungya a former classmate, at Machakos, was discharged as a surgent Major. This was a higher rank than that of Joseph Ndolo. But while Ndolo opted to continue with Army pursuits, Kilungya chose to become an information officer. He later relocated from Mumela Kilungu and settled at Makindu not far from the District Head Quarters. One of his sons became my classmate at Ngoto High in 1982.
LIFE AFTER SECOND WORLD WAR, AND ITS EFFECTS
On 25/5/1946, he got married to his first wife Esther Nthenya Kivandi, and on 26/6/1947 they were blessed with their first born child Lawrence Kambona Matee. His given name was Ndutu. On June 1947, he got a job at Makindu as a ddresser where he was paid only 42 shillings. The pay was not enough to rent a house, and he had to board with the patients. Concerned about the state of poverty, due to the little money he was making, and inspired by Musau Ndile a Makerere graduate who left for England during this time in(1948) for further studies, he contemplated with the idea of going back again to Matiliku (LNC). Musau was the elder brother to John Kilungya, and their younger brother Kyengo Ndile
At this time Matiliku was not offering L.N.C. only, but had been upgraded and was offering standard (5-6). In 1947, he requested Nthale whos was acting as an inspector fora readmission for Sandard 5 which was the final Grade. In 1949, he set for his Common Entrance Examinations (CEE) and he passed. His classmates at this time were several years younger than him. They were; Plaul Mulwa Sumbi, Chief Kithome, Ngie Malii, Nduto Kikalu, Nguli among others.
During this time, my father was practicing small scale farming as well, and on 1949, he put up a shorp at (Nthyani) Matiliku market. In the following year, in 1950, he joined Kasekeu Grade 6 which used to be called six top. Norman Lukindo was the principal of the school. He sat for standard six finals which were to lead to form one. The exams where conducted at a place called Sakini. Of all the students who set for the exam, only called Kinanda passed. His father was a teacher at Machakos. Kinanda later worked with the Post office. When he died, while placed in the coffin, his wife pulled off his ring.
Soon after the results were released, some time in 1952, the state of emergency was declared. Majority of the senior students like him were disqualified from going for further studies. And because he was a 2nd WW veteran, he was put under constant strict survailance by the Colonial Administratio.
He again went back to farming and soon joined other local leaders in promoting the religious movement in Mbitini Location. He also took up some leadership reponsibilies in the Ambua clan.
In 1954, Chief Kivati came and requested him to assist in local administration affairs and particularly in promoting Adult Education program in the Location. During this time, Kanyingi and John Masila were the chief clerks to Chief Kivati. In 19 64, Norman Mwania resigned as a counselor of Mbitini to become a chief following the retirement of Chief Kivati. Matee then was elected unopposed as a counselor of Mbitini (1964-1974). In May 1959 he got married to his second wife Susana Wayua Kimuyu. Wayua relocated to Mweini Nzaui Locationin 1969. She later relocated from Mweini to Kyulu in 1976-1978.
In 1965 with a close neighbor Sammy Ndambuki and three other close family friends, they approached Simion Nyakyae who was serving as a Divisional Officer (D.O) at Makueni and requested for a loan of twenty thoudsand to set up a supply store. They used most of the funds to purchase their first Mercedec Benz open truck. They also put up a store at Nthwani. This is how the Peter Matee Company, which later changed into Matiliku Supply Store LTD, was formed. On 2/2/1197, they closed down their business. On the same year, together with other local leaders, they organized a good number of members from the Nzaui Location and leased out the large expansive Nguu Range which was by then under the management of Agriculture Development Corporaation (A.D.C.). The Range was plaqued with a lot of management problems and within a short time the whole farm disintegrated. They later on divided the land into small portions. After independenece from the Colonial Government, Kenya did not adapt a good land policy.
The roadblock to his formal education which he had fearlessly sought for did not spell death to his desires for formal education for he soon embraced the wafe of spiritual enlightenment which was being promoted through the early Christian Missionaries. He would for the most part of his life work hand in hand with other llocal learders in setting up many schools among his community.
Planting of the early Christian seeds in African
Christianity first came into East African Coast, and later on into the interior part of the present Kenya through the Portouguese Roman Catholics, beginning from April 7th 1498 when Vasco da Gama dropped anchor at Malindi. Vasco Da Gama was a part of the grand plan of Henry the Nevigator who directed all his energies towards expansion for the purposes of more sphere of influence and trade. He also wanted to expand Christianity. The spreading of Muslim faith was his biggest enemy in his big scheme of expansion. In this crusade Henry was looking for an African ruler who was willing to become an alley in this rstruggle against the Muslims. Henry had already earned fame in his struggle agains the Moors (Black Muslims) who had threatened Porguese and Spanish.
Vasco Da Gama was not welcome by the Muslim inhabitants who had already established a presence on the African coast. However, he found a friendly reception at Malindi whose leader faced with inevitable threat from his neighbor at Mombasa thought that Porturguese might be allies. For several centuries, the Portuguese occupation of the East African Coast left no significant mark except very few Christians of Goan heritage.
The modern missionary movement in Africa
IN 1937, United States of America had appointed a consul in Zazibar, Great Britain soon followed suit, and a British consul was appointed in 1841, and France appointed one in 1844.
During the modern missionary era, the first pioneer missionary to Kenya was Johann Ludwing Krapt who arrived in Mombasa in May 1844. Born in 1810 in German by a peasant farmer, he started school when he was about 12 years old. Krapt was first sent to Ethiopia as a missionary in 1837 by the Church Missionary Society (CMC). He spend 5 years there trying to reach the Galla people who he estimated to be over 8 millian, and whom he thought would be a key to reaching the rest of E. Africa. He was expelled by the Roman Catholic leadership who also refused him entry into Galla region. The King of Ethiopia perceived an enlightened Oromia (Galla) a threat to his powerful dominance. He sought permission from C.M.S. to try a different route to reach the Ngalla people. He requested permission from the Sultan of Zanzibar Sayyid Said and was granted. He arrived in Mombasa in 1844.
Krapf set up his station at Rabbai Mpya. Rabai had already been established as a missionary settlement for freed slaves. Within two months of their arrival, his wife Rosine and new born baby were died. With great perseverance, Krapf continued his sojourn and intensified his efforts. With the help of John Rebman who had joined him in 1946, he studied the local languages and produced a Swahili dictionary. He soon started to come into reality when he realized that the peole of Nyika (Mijikenda) were resistant to the Christian gospel even though he had succeded in translating the New Testament into Kiswahili.
Krapt attention turned to the Akamba people. Akamba presence was already at the East African Coast way before Krapf arrived there. In mid eighteenth Century, a large number of Akamba small groups moved eastward from mainland region and settled at Mariakani, Kinango, Kwale, Mombasa west, (Changamwe, and Charani) and Mombasa North (Kisauni) starting the beginning of the modern urban settlement in Kenya. From his book titled ‘Travels Research and Missionary Labours in East Africa’, Krapf recorded about his first encounter with the Akamba people at Rabai Mpya at the coast. “The Wakamba were traversing as they do for trading purposes a large section of East Africa may well claim a serious attention of a missionary”. Chief Kivoi was at Rabai at this time doing his trade routes. He told Krapf of their homeland in the highlands about 200 miles from the Mombasa (North West) and invited him for a visit.
Krapt first missionary visit to Ukambani was in 1849 after his proposal to establish a missionary settlement at about 330 miles from Rubai on higher ground of Nyika plateu was approved by the Church Missionary Society. His second attempt was in 1850 accompanied by Chief Kivoi with his small band of Kamba traders. Krapf recorded that, “travelling into the interior was dangerous enterprise, crossing 200 miles of waterless waste land, and ever threatened by Maasai warriors and marrounders who attacked the caravan. Krapt dismayed by the destitute condition in Ukambani. He recorded, “There was practically no form of government at all, but the Kamba people where good traders in Ivory and other produce of which they made long distant journies for exchange”.
This was a big contrast from the pictrure Krapt had for Usambara region which he had made a quick visit prior to Ukambani. He said, “The Usambara territory between the Umba and Pangani rivers, which occupies the greater part of the coast between Mombasa and Zanzibar, was a most inviting country both physically and on account of the intelligence of the people”. Usambara people had a government, and King Kimeri received the Missionaries withkindness.
Krapt missionary efforts to penetrate Ukamba did not yield quick results. He made attempt to translate St. Marks Gospel into Kikamba and also worked on an Outline Grammar of Kiswahili on top of other African linguistic research. But surfice to say that, his initial efforts were not invain. He laid the foundation for the Christian spiritual enlightenment which followed many years after.
Protestand Missionary Movement
About three centuries later, the partition of Africa by the Berlin Confrence in 1884-1888 sat the stage for the Prostestand Missionary Movement in Africa, and to some extend influenced, the pattern that missionaries later followed. Also, the granting of the Royal Charter to the Imperial British East Africa Company (I.B.E.C.), in 1888 had a direct bearing on the expansion of the protestand missionary movement.
Sir William Mckinnon, the company director, encouraged the missionaries to extend their work into the interior. Being a Scotsman himself, Mackinnon encouraged the establishment of the East African Scottish Mission. He assisted in securing the services of of Dr. James Stewart. Stewart had earlier taken over missionary work in Malawi after the death of Dr. Livingston. In November 19th 1891, with a party of seven missionaries, two hundered and seventy three porters, he left the port of Mombasa and sat foot at Kibwezi. The conditions were unfavourable, and after several encounters with misfortunes, he decided to go further into central highlands. Thompson Watson led the Scottish Mission to Kikuyu where they were warmly welcomed by Chief Koinange. By 1899, a mission station had already been built at Thogoto.
African Inland Mission
Peter Cameron Scott was born near Clasgow, Scotland on March 7 1867 and at the age of twelf years he migrated to United States of America.
Africa Inland Mission was founded in Philadelphia when Scott a young aspiring missionary expressed his missionary calling to several interested friends who shortly formed what came to be known as the Philadelphia Missionary Council on June 1895. It was an interdenominal group whose mission was seeking to assist in spreading the Gospel of Christ through out the world. It is interesting to note that, none of the members of the council were to draw any salary so that the main work of the mission was to be carried on without expenses to mission concerned.
In 1895 Peter C. Scott with a band of six other missionaries left Newyork for Mombasa. He left Mombasa with a caravan of three hundred men, and fourty two camels and trekked inland to Nzaui peak which he termed as the “Gateway to East Africa”. The whole trip took one month. They arrived at Kalamba in December 12th, 1895. Chief Nthenge welcomed him at Kalamba and he sat up his first station. During the following year, Scott would trek 2,600 miles, set up three more stations in Ukambani; Sakai, Kilungu, and Kagundo, and welcome a second missionary group of eight including his parents and a young sister. Wthin a year, after arrival, Scott was said to have died of blackwater fever, in December 4th, 1896. His remains are still buried at Kalamba annexed to the first break house they build.
From these second badge of missionaries were; Hotchkisi who was posted at Sakai on March 18 1886, Krigger at Kilungu on April 18 1886, and Severen christened (Kawenzi) by the local people at Kangundo on October 10 1886. The station at Kangundu was rented for $1.50 annually from a Colonial Government who had erected the building for the soldiers who were used to suppress the Kamba rebellion led by Muindi wa Mbingu.
After 1900, the African Inland Mission recorded some expansion. Soon following the sudden death of Peter Scott, Charles Hurbert was appointed director incharge of all missioanary work in Africa. Hurbert was the Chairman of the Philladephia Missionary Council and the Founder and President of the Pennsyvania Bible Institute. In October 1901, he and his family of five children sailed for Africa. He observed that missionary work in Ukamba was not progressing well. The Mombasa Kisumu Railway had bypassed Machakos and Kangundo by some 37 km, and the people in general were not quite responsive to the spirit of missionary work as had been envisioned. Informed by the reality on the ground he moved the Headquarters of the African Inland Mission from Kangundo to Gikuyuland at Kijambe in 1901, and in 1907, a nothern station was opened at Kapropita in Northern Rift Valley.
Charles Hurbert led the A.I.M. from near extinction at the turn of the century to a task force of over 200 missionaries 25 years later. He became a close friend of former president of USA Theodore Roosevelt who upon visiting the echanting plains of Ukamba would later through the help of the colonial government be apportioned some of the most fertile lands in the region. According to his records, the now famous Damonte farm currently stretching thousands of hecters occupying two counties, Kiambu and Muranga, belonged to Ukamba. This land which formerly included the whole of Kilimabogo (Kyanzavi) hill, as it was known among the Kamba people, and the Seven Falls, was part and parcel of Ukamba before the new bourderies drawn by the Kenyatta government after independence. Not that it matters anything, but just to put the records straight.
Later in May 2nd 1892, C.F. Johnston established the A.I.M. station at Masaku near Mumbuni. Today, he is fondly remembered as (Bwana Nthanze) a Kamba name he was christened by the local people. The present Mumbuni Secondary school was locally named after him, hense, (Kwa Nthanze). On the following year in 1893, also the Bavarian Evagelical Lutharan Mission opened up stations in Ukambani. Stuart Watt, his wife, and family left Mombasa and set up a station at Ngelani near Masaku.
In the years to follow, Africa Inland Mission (A.I.M.) work in Ukambani would be taken over by the second generation of the first pioneer missionaries under a new name of Africa Inland Church (A.I.C.). These second generation missionaries like Geoge and his son laws continued mission work in remote parts of Ukamba like Mbooni, Kibwezi, Makindu, and Kiumoni. It was George and his son Laws who took the G.F.F. Church to Mbitini at Kiumoni which later on became G.N.CA. Mackam took his G.N.C.A. branch to Makindu.
As the new wave of spiritual enlightenment and development brought about by this early missionary work in Kenya started to take hold, more missionary stations and training schools continued to spring up.
Many young Africans began to seek for more education, and vocational training in modern building and agricultural practices. Inspired and touched by this newsfound knowledge, many of these young men, started to take over leadership positions in different arreas in their communites. Some of these early African pioneers who embraced this wave of missionary enlightenment in Mbitini where; Kisongoa, his brother Mbaluka, Mukusu, Kanyingi, father to John Masila, Ngoloma, Simion Matonoi, Rev. Willington Mulwa, Sammy Kinyumu, Mutuku, Muthiani Nzongolu, Pastor Kyumba, among others. In Mbooni, Pastor Itambo, father to Charity Ngilu contributed in the stranslation of the Holy Bible into Kikamba.
Missionary work and Education in Kilungu and Mbitini was pioneered by the Catholic Church. Mbitini did not receive the Church very well. The first African pioneers of Mulala Catholic Church were Kisongoa, his brother Mbaluka, and Mukusu among others.
Kanyingi and and father to John Masila were the first African pioneers of the Salvation Army in Mbitini (jeshi La Wakofu).
Ngoloma played a good part in bringing missionary light to the lower regions of Mbitini. He started (G.F.F.) church branch and later on went back to African Inland Church (A.I.C.). He moved from Kilungu, a place called Kee and purchased large pieces of land on the lower slopes of Mbitini hills. He married Mukenyi in 1912 in a modern Christian wedding. Ngoloma had several children, including a daughter Called Susan, and Marry who is married to the family of ‘Mbaa’ Ngundo. Susan was married by Musau Ndile, but they divorced when he failed to return from England after further education.
Like most of the early African pioneers of his time, my father observed early on that, where the families embraced the spirit of the Christian Religion, they also tended to receive formal education as well. And as more established mission stations turned out to be satellites for progress and development, he empraced that spirit, and for many years to follow he became an instrument in promoting education within his local community.
Driven by this spirit of enlightenment, he participated in encouraging his little brother Stanley Mutule Masila, and his half brother Mutuku Nganga, to attend school. He also took Matheka Kivandi, his brother inlaw to a scecondary school at Mbaikini Wamunyu. Matheka later left the school and studied Bible school under the tutelage of George Laws .Matheka died early and is buried at Kiumoni, not far from the old church building. The grave is in bad shape and would love to work on it at my own time in honor of this son of (mbaa) Mama. My father also helped to raise funds and took Norman Mwania and Mbululu for higher education in Uganda.
In 1902, an old chief from Kilungu walked 70 miles to Kangundo, requesting missionaries to come and teach them the word of God. He offered to give a piece of land to set up the buildings. Coincidedly, 82 years later, Gidion Kasue would invite LDS Church (Mormon) into his village near Kikoko and grand them a piece of land to build their Church.
Kyengo Ndile comes from Mumela Kilungu, Kikoko near a place called Kalumbi Hill. It is by the borderline between Mukaa, Kilungu and Mbitini. My father later while a counselor of Mbitini Location commissioned the Hill Kalumbi as a water catchment area for the surrounding region. Ndile family benefited from the early Missionary education set up by Peter Scott at Kilungu. It is not a coincidence that the LDS Church has lately set up a branch near Kikoko where they were invited and apportioned a piece of land by the late Gidion Kasue.
Kisongoa, his brother Mbaluka and Mukusu, embraced Mission work and education, early on, and acquired better modern methods of agriculture which they practiced in their small farms in the upland areas of Kyemundu location. Kisongoa later passed his knowledge to his son Joseph, who successfully improved from where he left. Today, Kisongoa family has ambraced modern education very well. The Kisongoa, just like the Nganga family have their heritage from the Maasai people of Rift Valley. The grandfather to kisongoa was gotten from Maasai land.
By 1926, the New Testament was translated into Luo, Gikuyu, Kamba, and the whole Bible into Nandi. By 1928, A.I.M. founded the first Bible school in Machakos. Today it has evolved into a fully fledged University; (Scotts Theological Collage) offering many Academic disciplines including degrees in Theological studies.
Lukindo’s father was gotten from Tharaka. The Tharaka people, just like Kamba is an offshoot of the larger Athagichu language speaking nation. The Tharaka people have a lexical similarity close to the Embu by 80%, Akamba 70%, Meru 68%, and Agikuyu 75%. Lukindo got his education at Mukaa Secondary school. He became a teacher at Kasekeu where he taught my father. It was at Kasekeu that he began to administer the (MAMAU) oath to the people. He was detained by the colonial Government for nine years along with other political detainees following the declaration of the Emergency in 1952. He Later on became a chief, of Mukaa Location, and an area representative of the Mukaa Constituency before relocating to Nzukini, Taveta Taita Taveta District. He served as area representative of Taveta for several years before retiring into farming.