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Heavy responsibilities for elder aunt among the Logooli

With Seenge Fonesi. She is the elder grand daughter of Isagi and elder daughter of Amugasya. She is often present in functions involving the family of Amugasya. Pic taken on 18/4/2024. The elder sister soon becomes the elder aunt. It is this “seenge munene” (elder aunt) tag that she is tied to many cultural responsibilities – back home. To her marital family she may appear as any other woman, but she is not so in the eyes of her people. Marriage does not steal her away as it would happen with other daughters of the old man. To her, as days go and the old man and woman of the estate are dependents, she becomes increasingly present.  Her brothers also need her for almost all traditional markings. They are marrying, she needs to welcome the new wife. They are giving birth, she needs to come to midwife or “bless” the new born. They are paying dowry she needs to lead the women delegate. There is a conflict she needs to come for a hearing.  And many others. Traditions does not expect her to
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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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