iChamakanga is accessed from Bugina /iVugina/ and iChekombero at Budira (ha Vudira) junction from the south, from Mululu /iMururu/ in the west and from Busali (the road leads to Wa Jeshi stage near Mago) in the East. It is a green calm village with several Saniaga families living with vaMageza, vaGihayo and vaKoyani among others.
The families at Chamakanga are that of Maniaji, Amogora, Kadinyiru, Mumang'are, Ngusare, Riyenga, Mundehe and some few others who by later migrations are in the neighbourhood.
Chamakanga was uninhabited a few decades ago and swamps occupied the valley bottoms that succeed each other quickly. On the little flats trees grew tall. There are stones about and the lands slant. Very few have adopted terrace cultivation mode to prevent further soil erosion towards the numerous brooks that flow, unpolluted. There were also indigenous huge trees as _ritegero_, a gum tree, from which the name of the neighbouring village is named. There are visible trees in compounds as _mugomati_ good for making _isugudi_ and others with a majority of the green canopy taken by the exotic blue gum.
AvaSaniaga migration to Chamakanga was a further North-East extend with Mudete having acted as a temporary settling place. Here, some went to the present iGavudia villages and neighbourhood as others took to iVugina and beyond – Chamakanga and Chavogere among. Handidi and Nandi (Sironoi area) probably being earlier time settlements or as effects of repulsive wars against vaDiriji (the Tiriki) who were against the Maragori expansion.
Advances iVusari were by warring, making the vaSaniaga, needed by other Maragoli clans (mainly avaSari) in the fight crew pick some of the able bodied kinsmen, making those who would later occupy the Busali progenitors not necessarily people of a near 'great grandfather'.
Then there were the Christian church villages that were famously known as 'line' – komenya ku laini. The missionaries found the villages secure, people still lived a far off, there was need to have them live close and be closely monitored in their understanding of the new faith for it would be easy to withdraw back to 'paganism' with absentia. As it was at iVugina so was it at Itegero and iVusari. Men and women, afflicted with changed times found themselves followers of this new way of life. From far off some may have come.
We have Kadinyiru, the child of Magaraba. We have written of the Magaraba before but Kadinyiru was not mentioned for Magaraba had two wives. We mentioned Karemera, the child of Magaraba by one of the wives. Karemera whose brothers include Dasi of eRong'el'le /lunyerere/, Mbaisi Kisieza of iVusamo /Busamo/, Musinde of iRusuka /lusuka/ and Dangana of iVunandi. Then there was Kadinyiru, named after the father of Magaraba, Kadinyiru.
For Magaraba himself is said to have not gone past eRong'el'le but for the descendants who had the back to south move. Kadinyiru lived at Chavogere among other vaSaniaga, the Guda and was one of the people in the church villages (or it influenced his stay there) and he married from vaMbaya clan making him more tied to his in-law land. The wife he married was called Maria, a Christian name. They begot four sons – Mazia Misango, Dishon Ambihira, Wilson Munangwe and Ezekiah Mwarichi.
The land at Chavogere was little and infertile, stony too. It happened that musiara wa Kadinyiru (second cousin) by the name Namese owned a piece of land at present Chamakanga centre. Namese wanted to migrate to Nandi for more freer and vast land, to leave Chamakanga. News that Maria got aware of and pleaded with him that he had sons who would need land. Which Namese responded to positively later and the first two sons of Maria would settle there, the younger two remaining at Chavogere. Kadinyiru had another wife whom it is not recorded well for he begot girls with her.
At Chamakanga are the descendants of Mazia Misango and Dishon Mbihira. The latter married muVurugi /mburugi/ by the name Resiba Muhonja and begot Hellen Kalusa, Burungu Henry, Gladys Agema, Indiazi Naftali, Kivisi Edward (who is presently settled at the original Chekombero land), Nafas Kevogo and a daughter that died young. The mentioned are grandfathers and grandmothers at present, the daughters long married away. Mazia Masango had a daughter only surviving him that she was left with the land, the share he rather took for himself than being given Maria for then lands would be divided long after after seeing someone's offsprings. The daughter of Mazia was survived by three sons who are now parents, in the very land of Namesa.
The road from Chamakanga to Budira /iVudira/ separates the Kadinyiru from the Amogora who is also thought to have sprung from eRotego church village. Amogora was the son of muKizuza of the Magavira ancestry. Twice did Magavira marry and begot six children. First was an Idakho woman by the name Zisiga whom they together begot Jamin Enyora, Engado who was married ivuSweta, Zipporah Kareha who was married iGurume and Japheth Kizugane who was not survived by a child. Jamin Enyora married Resiba Rokombe, muSanga to beget Eris Mbone (m. iBanja), John Idara, Selina Kavai (m. waNadiradi), Berisa Aganyi (m. Madeya), Ezina Zisiga (m. evoZozo), Herman Amogora, Jason Gibendi, Isack Kidimu and Absalom Gunyari who all are grandparents.
The second wife of Amogora was Musina, muMigango and had two children, a son and a daughter. The son was called Kadasia Mbagaya and the daughter Anavura Salome who was married eRotego. Kadasia by Rhoda Riavoga, muSweta begot Ester Mmaize (m. waDigura), Norah Marova (m. Kisangura), Egra Arusa (m. iDiriji), Gideon Mbagaya, Dephin Musina (m. waHamisi), Everline Mboga (married Isukha) and Margaret Chahenza (m. Kakamega). The mentioned are presently grandparents with Mbagaya having been born in 1941. Kadasia, his father died in 1981 with 74 years.
There are the Indangasi there at Chamakanga, the child of Maniagi the child of Anyonge. Little was told about the place of emigration by the informant. That it was not said the brothers of Indangasi but the children by Berita Agunyiga, muNgomba. They are Ezekiel Agesa, Kaduka (m. Idako), Raheri Endesia (m. Molo), Amugechi Javan, Gumaragani and John Inziano. Four brothers and two sisters with Gumaragani dying too early in life leaving no survivor. Ezekiel Agesa is the father of Allan Indangasi (born 1940), David Agesa, Gladys Sarano (m. iMuhanda), Ester Mahaya (m. Kanyamkago) and Enica Andia (m. woMutambi).
Down Chamakanga are the Ayodis who migrated from iGaigedi recently, a generation ago. And up are the vaM'mang'are. The Amiani, The Mberesia and The Kazenda, three sons of M'mangare followed by the Ngusare where Atumbwa is mentioned. These, plus the Indangasi are to be followed up that the related kins among the Saniaga are found to widen the family trees.
In between Chamakanga village and Busali are the vaRiyenga, children of Riyenga. Riyenga the son of Mahani. Mahani the son of Kibisu. Kibisu the son of Zing'ende. It is in this family that people awe have the Keredas of Wangulu, Chekombero and the Jiragwa of Handidi.
We have documented the Zing'ende before and we failed to mention the Riyenga. It is because we had not yet found out of the vaMahani. Mbaria, the first wife of Kibisu begot Hungayi the father of Petero Kivi of Chekombero village who begot Laban Kereda Kivi who died in 2019, Herman Kibisu and Ainea Iadwa. The second wife, Kayeri by name begot Kereda (possibly Kereda Chogome at iChatamilu) and Mahani (father of Riyenga.). The third wife, muGusihi, named Rokovo did Kibisu beget Igadwa Mukofu, Kadiagara and Kemeka who are widely spread at Handidi and the Kereda at Wangulu being one of those who came from Handidi. As earlier documented, Joshua Kereda is the great grandson of Igadwa Mukofu. The Ambuzi (descendants are found at Induvatiru village) and Rodenyi are children of Mweyeri, younger wife.
Riyenga's mother was called Kimira, muKoyani by clan. This mother clan could be the main reason why Riyenga would settle where his descendants are presently found, the clan is widely spread at Chamakanga and neighboring villages. Riyenga married Leah Adisa, muMasero and beget Abraham Riyenga (migrated to iMukenya village), Benson Kemori and Joseph Kivisi who are now grandfathers, in their mature years.
To add, there are the descendants of Mundehe represented by Robert Agesa at Chamakanga, up Busali. Mundehe is said to be one of those who dispersed from Mudete and headed iVusari. He was full of years save for his two sons, Isigi and Mugadiri who fought off the vaDiriji /the Tiriki/ alongside vaMageza and vaGihayo to later occupy the areas their descendants are in now. Isigi and Mugadiri had other brothers- Isuri whose descendants boarder Busali Secondary School, Isiza whose descendants are found at Itegero village, Inguvu whose descendants are found at iRunyu village, Ruyayi who migrated to iVunyara (among the Banyala) and Mugadiri of Chamakanga. Their mother was mukana muMageza, Voyogero by name. It should be noted here that marrying and living near the clan of your wife at the time favoured the expansion of the children born by her. In this case, Isigi being mwifwa muMageza was as if he was the son of vaMageza and hence easier life if of good demeanour.
Isigi was able to lay claim four pieces of land in three villages – induvatiru, two at iRunyu and another that he bought by a hen at waNadiradi village. For a visionary expansion to the four sons he begot by Borisa Mugati, muSachi. Kirunga, Kasamba, Rusuri and Musundi that were allocated nduvatiru, iRunyu, iRunyu and waNadiradi respectively. Kirunga died in 1994 already heralded by his dear elder son that he had said would burry him only to die in a fatal accident at Sabatia – Dr. Lawrence Isigi. Lawrence was the elder son that only crossed the swampy reeds to buy land in the neighbor village – wiIkuzaa. He was followed by birth with Matayo Festo, Ernest Mudara, Mariko Ifweza, Ugustin Mudogo, Cyprian Mugadiri (the Mundehe family informant, 80 years old, who is also the one alive of his eight siblings).
Kirunga used to brew local busaa and people were fond of visiting the homestead and merry making. On the day of this documentation, it was noted that the son of Mariko is in the business of chang'aa, a declared illegal drink due to its detrimental effects to users who are likely to abuse it. Efforts by Cyprian Mugadiri to curb the practice did not bore fruit even when vaSaniaga elders visited the home to talk of more responsible ways to earn a living. Relegated to the side of a busy and insecure path by the rowdy drinkers, Cyprian is no longer concerned but occupied with his occupation of making mats ( _majambi_ ) and selling.
Kasamba, the brother of Kirungu at Irunyu went when he had married Pauline, muGisemba. By whom he did not beget a boy that he remarried, mwiDako called Elizabeth and begot Mugadiri, Isigi and Afwandi. He married again, muMasingira called Beatrice and begot Charles Rusuri, Musundi Patrick, Antony Ruyayi and Phineas Ndeda. For Rusuri, the third son of Isigi, he died early when he had married Orisa, muKizungu and begotten a son, Mugadiri. Later life would have them sell their part at iRunyu and migrate to Lugari. Musundi that settled at waNadiradi was married to Agnes, muSweta and by her begot Joseph Okozi and Isigi.
Mugadiri begot Kisaka and Kibisu. Kisaka married Hanna muMasingira and begot Robert Agesa. She would soon die, Kisaka made to marry again. This time on he married Egra, mwiDako and begot Kasamba and Ambenge.
For Kibisu, a letter accompanied by his identification card came from Kapsabet hospital notifying of his death. For many years he had been employed by a Nandi in the farm and it is not known whether he had a family. Sometimes Kisaka would go in search for him and came back with no news. In 1987 the letter got to Sabatia government offices and the village from which Kibisu came from was identified. Kisaka had died. By the time the family could organize itself with hard means of sending information, they found him already buried. They spent Ksh. 300/- for the grave digger to spot for them where he may have buried him in the public cemetery. For them it was a lump of soil that they took back home and beside his brother's grave conducted a mass.
With Thanks
saniaga.org
saniaga.blogspot.com
info.saniaga@gmail.com
facebook.com/saniaga.org
Good work. I would love to hear about the Ambuzis who I am part of
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