Abaluhya | |
|---|---|
 Luhya children in rural western Kenya | |
| Total population | |
| 6,823,482 (2019 census)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Languages | |
| Luhya varieties,Swahili,English | |
| Religion | |
| PredominantlyChristianity; minorityAfrican traditional religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| otherGreat Lakes Bantu peoples (for exampleGanda,Haya,Kuria) |
| Person | OmuLuyia |
|---|---|
| People | AbaLuyia |
| Language | OluLuyia |
| Country | EbuLuyia |
TheLuhya (also known asAbaluhya ,Luyia orAbaluhya)) are a Bantu ethnic group comprising more than 20 related sub-tribes. Geographically centered in the fertileLake Victoria Basin of WesternKenya, they also maintain significant populations in easternUganda and northernTanzania. They are Kenya’s second-largest ethnic group, numbering 6,823,482 per the 2019 census (approximately 14% of the national population), making them the second largest ethnic group in the country after theKikuyu.[2] Often described as an "ethnolinguistic constellation," the group includes theBukusu,Maragoli, Kabarasi, Tachoni, Wanga, and Samia, among others. Each sub-tribe maintains a distinct dialect and clan system while sharing a unified identity and common cultural institutions.[3][4][5]
Historically, most Luhya were smallholder farmers who grew sorghum, millet and later maize, kept cattle, goats and chickens and participated in extensive cross border trade and labor migration. Since independence, Luhya individuals have been prominent in Kenyan national life, producing several vice presidents, speakers of parliament, cabinet ministers, judges, academics, church leaders and elite sportspeople, as well as musicians, journalists and other cultural figures.[6][7]
The autonymAbaluhya orAbaluyia is commonly glossed as "people of the same hearth" or "people of the north" in several Luhya varieties, from the root-luhya/-luyia and the plural prefixaba- meaning "people of".[8] Individuals areOmuLuyia, the people areAbaLuyia, the language clusterOluLuyia and the imagined homelandEbuLuyia.
The term "Luhya" gained political salience in the 1940s and 1950s when colonial administrators, African politicians and mission educated elites began to group a number of western Kenyan Bantu communities together for representation in new colonial institutions. Earlier labels such as "North Kavirondo" and "Kavirondo Bantu" gave way to a more unified "Baluhya" identity in the decade before Kenyan independence.[9]
Within this broad identity, people usually self identify first by subtribe (for example Omubukusu, Omumaragoli, Omusamia) and then by clan. Luhya identity has nonetheless become important in Kenyan party politics, especially since the reintroduction of multiparty competition in the 1990s.[10]
Archaeological, linguistic and genetic evidence links Luhya origins to the widerBantu expansion from west central Africa into the Great Lakes region between roughly three and five millennia ago.[11] By the second millennium CE, Bantu speaking communities closely related to contemporary Luhya were established on the northern and western slopes ofMount Elgon, along the middleNzoia River and in the lowlands around present dayKakamega,Vihiga andBusia.[12]
Precolonial Luhya societies were politically decentralized. Most groups lived in small clan based polities headed by councils of elders, ritual specialists and lineage leaders. The exception was the Wanga, whose kingdom under the Nabongo (king) developed a more centralized court and tributary system that interacted with neighboring Luo, Nandi and Maasai communities and later with Arab and Swahili traders.[13]
Economically, Luhya groups combined shifting cultivation of sorghum, finger millet, cowpeas and bananas with livestock herding and hunting. Iron working and pottery were well developed, and households engaged in regional exchange networks that linked the highlands to Lake Victoria and, through caravan trade, to the coast.[14]
From the early nineteenth century, intensified long distance trade, cattle raiding and population movements reshaped western Kenya. Maasai and Kalenjin cattle raiding occasionally reached Luhya areas, while Luo groups expanded along the Nzoia and Yala rivers. The Wanga kingdom under Nabongo Mumia consolidated its influence through alliances, warfare and control of trade routes linking Buganda, Busoga, Kavirondo and the coast.[15]
Arab and Swahili traders reached Wanga and Samia areas in the mid nineteenth century, exchanging cloth, beads and guns for ivory and other products. British explorers such asHenry Morton Stanley andJoseph Thomson encountered Luhya communities while passing aroundLake Victoria in the 1870s and 1880s, describing the region in terms that later fed into British colonial mapping.[16]
With the creation of theEast Africa Protectorate in 1895 and later theColony and Protectorate of Kenya, Luhya territory was incorporated into the North Kavirondo and Elgon Nyanza districts. Colonial rule introduced new administrative boundaries, taxation, Christian missions and cash crop production.
The Wanga kingdom became an early ally of the British. Nabongo Mumia was confirmed as a paramount chief, and Wanga elders assisted in collecting taxes and labor, a relationship that brought both advantage and controversy among neighboring groups.[17] Elsewhere, Luhya communities experienced land alienation in parts of what became theWhite Highlands, forced labor on European farms and the recruitment of young men into theKing's African Rifles and settler estates.
Christian missions, especially theFriends Africa Mission, theChurch of God, theAnglicans and theRoman Catholic Church established schools and churches in Kaimosi, Bunyore, Mumias and other centers from the first decade of the twentieth century.[18] Conversion to Christianity intersected with existing beliefs in Nyasaye/Were, ancestral spirits and ritual specialists.
Luhya soldiers fought for the British in both world wars, and many veterans brought back new political ideas and experiences. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Dini ya Msambwa religious movement led byElijah Masinde among the Bukusu combined Christian and traditional elements with anti colonial protest and was repressed by the colonial state.[19]
From the 1930s, mission schooling produced an emerging Luhya educated class that participated in nationalist politics and colonial advisory bodies. Leaders such asMasinde Muliro andMoses Mudavadi were active in the Kenya African Union and other organizations that demanded land rights, better wages and representation.[20]
The name "Luhya" was increasingly used in the 1940s and 1950s as a political category for representation in theLegislative Council and in African district associations. By the time of independence in 1963, a sense of being Luhya sat alongside strong loyalties to local subgroups such as Bukusu, Maragoli, Wanga, Banyore, Samia and others.
At independence, most of the Luhya population fell within the newWestern Province and small parts ofRift Valley Province. Western Province became associated in popular commentary with high population density, smallholder sugarcane and maize farming, and extensive out migration to Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns.[21]
Luhya leaders played important roles in postcolonial governments.Masinde Muliro andMoses Mudavadi served as ministers in the administrations ofJomo Kenyatta andDaniel arap Moi. Later,Musalia Mudavadi,Michael Wamalwa Kijana andMoody Awori all held the office of vice president or deputy prime minister at different moments, helping entrench the idea of the "Luhya vote" as a significant electoral bloc.[22]
Political competition in western Kenya was often shaped by national party alignments rather than a single regional party. Luhya politicians appeared across the ideological spectrum in parties such as KANU, FORD Kenya, NARC, ODM and later Kenya Kwanza and Azimio formations.
The 2010 Constitution of Kenya introduced a devolved system of 47 counties. Luhya populations now form majorities in the counties ofKakamega,Bungoma,Vihiga andBusia, and large pluralities in parts ofTrans Nzoia andNandi.[23]
County governors, senators and members of county assemblies from these areas have become significant power brokers in national coalitions.Wycliffe Oparanya served two terms as governor of Kakamega and was chair of the Council of Governors, whileMoses Wetang'ula became Speaker of the National Assembly in 2022 andMusalia Mudavadi was appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary in the same year.[24][25]
Analysts often describe the "Luhya vote" as numerically important but politically fragmented, with different subregions and leaders backing competing coalitions in the 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2022 general elections.[26]
Most Luhya people live in the western Kenyan highlands between Mount Elgon and the northern shores ofLake Victoria, a region of relatively high rainfall and fertile soils. Western Province, which existed from 1963 to 2013, historically grouped many Luhya districts. With devolution, the population is now counted primarily at county level.[1]
Significant rural Luhya populations are found in:
Luhya communities in Uganda live mainly inEastern Uganda, especially inTororo District,Mbale District and Busia District, where closely related Basamia, Banyole and Gisu (Masaba) populations reside.[27]
The table below summarizes Kenyan counties with substantial Luhya populations, based primarily on the 2019 census and secondary syntheses. Percentages are approximate and may vary by sub location.
| County | Former Province | Main Luhya subgroups | Administrative centre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kakamega County | Western | Idakho, Isukha, Kabras, Marama, Tsotso, parts of Wanga, Banyore | Kakamega | Considered the demographic and political centre of Luhya country, with dense settlement and sugarcane, maize and tea farming.[1] |
| Bungoma County | Western/Rift Valley | Bukusu, Tachoni | Bungoma | Large scale maize and sugarcane zone; Bukusu are among the largest single Luhya subgroups.[28] |
| Vihiga County | Western | Maragoli, Tiriki, Bunyore (Abanyore) | Mbale | Highly fragmented landholdings, significant tea production and commuter ties to Kisumu and Kakamega.[29] |
| Busia County | Western | Samia, Khayo, Marachi, Nyala, parts of Wanga | Busia | Cross border trading hub linking Kenya and Uganda, with mixed fishing and agriculture along Lake Victoria and the Sio River.[30] |
| Trans Nzoia County | Rift Valley | Bukusu, Tachoni and other Luhya migrants | Kitale | High potential maize zone; Luhya populations expanded here after the redistribution of former settler farms following independence.[31] |
The Luhya speak a cluster of mutually intelligible Bantu languages often referred to collectively as "Luhya" orOluLuyia. Linguists usually treat these as a set of related but distinct languages, including Lubukusu, Lulogooli (Logoli), Lunyore, Lusamia, Lwisukha, Lwidakho, Lunyala, Lukabarasi, Lutachoni, Lumarama, Olutsotso, Oluwanga and others.[32]
Common features include noun class systems, extensive verbal morphology and the use of prefixes such asaba-/ava- for people andolu-/olu- for languages. Many Luhya are multilingual, speaking one or more Luhya varieties,Swahili as the national lingua franca andEnglish in formal contexts.
Luhya identity encompasses more than twenty historically distinct subtribes. The list below gives commonly recognized subgroups and their main areas of settlement. Terminology varies between scholarly sources and in local usage.[33]
| Subgroup (autonym) | Common English name | Primary dialect | Main Kenyan districts/counties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ababukusu | Bukusu | Lubukusu | Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Mount Elgon |
| Abamaragoli / Avalogooli | Maragoli | Lulogooli | Vihiga (Maragoli), parts of Kisumu |
| Abanyole / Abanyore | Banyore (Bunyore) | Olunyole | Vihiga (Emuhaya, Luanda), parts of Kisumu |
| Abanyala ba Busia | Nyala (east) | Lunyala (Busia) | Busia |
| Abanyala ba Ndombi | Nyala (west) | Lunyala (Kakamega) | Kakamega (Navakholo) |
| Abawanga | Wanga | Oluwanga | Kakamega (Mumias, Matungu), Busia |
| Abatiriki | Tiriki | Lutirichi | Vihiga (Tiriki) |
| Abasidakho | Idakho | Lwidakho | Kakamega (south) |
| Abasiiukha | Isukha | Lwisukha | Kakamega (east) |
| Abakabras | Kabras | Lukabarasi | Kakamega (Malava) |
| Abatsotso | Tsotso | Olutsotso | Kakamega (central west) |
| Abamarama | Marama | Lumarama | Kakamega (Butere) |
| Abakisa | Kisa | Olushisa | Kakamega (Khwisero) |
| Abakhayo | Khayo | Olukhayo | Busia (Nambale, Matayos) |
| Abasamia | Samia | Lusamia | Busia (Samia), eastern Uganda |
| Abatachoni | Tachoni | Lutachoni | Bungoma, Kakamega, Trans Nzoia |
Each subgroup is further divided into numerous patrilineal clans, which historically regulated marriage, land rights and ritual obligations. Clans typically trace their origins to legendary ancestors, migration leaders or occupational specializations.
Traditionally, Luhya communities were organized around extended patrilineal households clustered into villages of about ten to fifteen homesteads. The homestead (olukoba or similar terms) usually belonged to a senior man, his wife or wives, their married sons and their families. The compound layout reflected seniority, with the main house, wives' houses, sons' houses and cattle kraal placed according to local norms.[34]
Village life was governed by elders' councils that mediated disputes, arranged initiation ceremonies, settled bridewealth negotiations and oversaw communal rituals. Age sets provided another layer of organization, especially among groups such as the Bukusu and Tachoni where circumcision cohorts (for example Kolongolo, Kananachi, Kikwameti, Kinyikeu, Nyange, Maina, Sawa) structured male social life.
Marriage historically involved the transfer of cattle, goats or other livestock as bridewealth from the groom's family to the bride's family. Arranged marriages were common, although elopement and love matches also occurred. Polygyny was an accepted ideal for men of sufficient means, though in practice most men had one or two wives.[35]
Inheritance of land and livestock generally followed patrilineal principles, with the eldest son of the first wife enjoying a privileged position. Daughters traditionally did not inherit land, though constitutional and legal reforms in Kenya have increasingly opened inheritance rights to women.
Male circumcision is a central rite of passage among many Luhya subgroups. Among the Bukusu, Tachoni, Kabras and parts of Nyala and Samia, circumcision ceremonies are still conducted in designated seasons in even numbered years, accompanied by singing, drumming, dancing and ritual seclusion. Among other Luhya groups, circumcision has largely moved to clinical settings but remains an important life stage marker.
Female genital cutting historically occurred only in a few Luhya communities and was never as widespread as among some neighboring peoples such as theAgikuyu. It has declined sharply following state bans, health campaigns and changing social attitudes.[36]
Precolonial Luhya religious thought centered on belief in a supreme being often called Nyasaye or Were, associated with the sky, fertility and moral order, alongside ancestral spirits and a range of spirits linked to places, rain, healing and misfortune. Ritual specialists, seers and diviners mediated between communities and the spirit world.
Christian missions, especially Friends (Quaker), Church of God, Anglican and Catholic, spread rapidly in the twentieth century, and today an estimated majority of Luhya people identify as Christian, divided among Catholic, mainline Protestant, Pentecostal and African initiated churches.[37] Minority communities maintain traditional religious practices or participate in movements such as Dini ya Msambwa, which blend Christian and indigenous elements and historically expressed resistance to colonial and postcolonial authority.
Belief in witchcraft, night runners and spirit possession remains part of everyday discourse in some areas and coexists with Christian and Islamic practices.
Traditional Luhya architecture in rural areas often features rectangular or circular houses with earthen walls and thatched roofs, arranged around an open courtyard. Granaries for storing grain are raised on stilts to protect against pests and moisture.
Ceremonial regalia for elders, ritual specialists and dancers includes skin capes, beadwork, cowrie shells, iron bells, ankle rattles, walking sticks and distinctive headdresses. During contemporary cultural festivals, circumcision seasons and weddings, performers often wear a synthesis of older regalia and modern fabrics in the colors of the Kenyan flag or county sports teams.
Music and dance are integral to Luhya social life. Isukuti drumming ensembles from the Isukha and Idakho, for example, are widely known in Kenya for their fast paced rhythms performed at weddings, funerals and political rallies. Other genres include benga guitar styles from Bukusu and Maragoli areas and church choirs that blend local harmonies with global hymnody.[38]
Western Kenya has also produced many prominent footballers, runners and rugby players, helped by the popularity of school competitions and community clubs such as Abaluhya Football Club, later renamedA.F.C. Leopards.[39]
Historically, most Luhya households combined subsistence farming with small scale trade and wage labor. Maize, beans, cassava, sorghum, millet and vegetables are staple crops, while cattle, goats and chickens provide meat, milk and income. Chicken, often prepared as "ingokho" (chicken stew), is widely considered a delicacy and symbol of hospitality.
From the colonial period through the late twentieth century, sugarcane became a major cash crop in parts of Kakamega, Bungoma and Busia, supplying factories such as Mumias, Nzoia and West Kenya sugar companies. Tea production expanded in parts of Vihiga and Kakamega, while dairy farming grew in higher altitude zones of Bungoma and Trans Nzoia.[40]
Labor migration has long been a key livelihood strategy, with Luhya men and women working as teachers, civil servants, traders, industrial workers and informal sector operators in Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns and sending remittances back to rural homes. In recent decades, international migration to the Gulf states, Europe and North America has also grown.
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