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Luanda Reggae Defenders - what is your long term agenda?

Luanda Reggae Defenders is a now a popular movement with roots in Vihiga and border Siaya and Kakamega counties Attention is brought to the manner and conduct the movement has gained fame and followers, mainly the Youths. The movement capitalizes on funerals. With a poor culture of putting the dead to rest, the Reggae Defenders have taken it by storm and rebranded the infamous ‘Disco Matanga’ – disco at funeral. Reggae Defenders on move. Pic: Charles Rankings: Facebook They mobilize quickly on the day the dead will be discharged from the mortuary. They have this huge old school sound system that is over buzzing to no clear reggae song - that they hire a pickup to carry - and it has a young DJ mainly standing there than mixing anything. Often, against the rules, the casket is grabbed from a hearse vehicle and tied to a motorbike. There it will be swayed and jerk breaked between other motorbikes on the narrow roads. That, is, how a fellow soldier, often a young dead, is mourned. ...
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A history of Mbale

The present MBALE town in Maragoli, Vihiga County (It used be a District), is locally known to its residents as "WA-MBALE". It is a name derived from an ancestor – who was the Great Great Grandfather called "AMBALE" of the Abasaniaga (Kamnara) Clan.

Ambale's parcel of land which stretched from "IDAVAGA" where he lived and died, extended beyond the present MBALE Market Place in Maragoli. History has it that Ambale was a shrewd cattle trader. Both buyers and sellers always converged at a famous spot in Ambale's land under a tree shade or some trees known as "MU-MIZAMBARAU" – 'Mzambarau' is a Swahili name of  plum tree.  The "Mzambarau spot" brought together traders from as far as Bunyore, Luanda, Idakho, Isukha, Serem (Banja), Kisa, and Kisumu for Saturday market livestock trading. Saturday is still the main market day  in Mbale.

When the Colonial Government built the Kisumu - Kakamega Road, Ambale's land was affected and divided - hiking away the market spot from his parcel of land to which he would never be compensated. The present Muslim Mosque was built and stands in the very place and a few of these trees can be seen to this day.

Ambale's sons were - Gamsha, Engome, Luvita and the youngest – Ganihitsu. Ganihitsu and wife Diana Nyagi bore Agesa (alias Harambee), Asava (alias Kilanduka) and Lusigi. They were great people. Agesa bore Inziano, father to Neccy Munagi, the contributor of this article. Understandably from Ganihitsu's daughter Resba Mengesa Lwimbu (who was 90yrs old while narrating this story), even the land extending to Muslim Primary School and the entire village, belonged to this great, great, grandfather.

Ambale was so kindly generous that he went against tradition by giving away land to his sister called Maria Ilunda who had been married at 'Evogonda'.  The circumstance to the act wasn't included by the writer.

According to Abalogoli culture, women were not allowed to inherit land and property. With increased in- laws following, that is how land was lost on the Evogonda / Idavaga side. The great great grandsons of Mbale have been forced to buy land for settling in an area that once belonged to their ancestor.

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