18 Facts About Nabongo Mumia

Nabongo Mumia later became paramount chief of an expansive region of Kenya and Uganda at the beginning of British imposition of colonial rule in East Africa.

Nabongo Mumia is regarded as the greatest ruler of the Wanga Kingdom for his management of the British colonial transition leading to British occupation in Kenya in the 20th century.

Nabongo Mumia led a kingdom that was famous for trade with Arabs in slaves at a time when the Wanga Kingdom was under extreme military pressure from the Luo-Nyanza.

Nabongo Mumia was born a prince between 1849 and 1852.

Nabongo Mumia was born into the abashitstes, one of the 22 clans that comprises the Wanga tribe.

Nabongo Mumia grew up as an ordinary Wanga child participating in domestic animal herding, farming, hunting and gathering and his most notable achievement was killing a lion and leopard by the time he was 18 years old.

Nabongo Mumia changed strategy from that employed by previous Wanga kings by employing Arabs directly in the military wars against neighboring communities of Luo-Nyanza and Bukusu.

Around 1890, when Fredick Lugard met Nabongo Mumia, he observed that he spoke pretty good Swahili and the larger Wanga community had Islamic regalia and demeanour.

Nabongo Mumia was appointed heir on the eve of his father's death.

Nabongo Mumia occupied a prominent place in British colonial administration from 1908 to 1926 and was recognised as the Paramount Chief.

Nabongo Mumia ruled the Kingdom for 67 years from 1882 to 1949 in one of the longest reigns in African history.

Nabongo Mumia had heard stories that the British colonial administration appointed colonial paramount chiefs in their quest to seek assistance in imposition of colonial rule.

Nabongo Mumia used foresight and intelligence in initiating relations with the British and accepting to collaborate with the British many years before other communities in Kenya had an interaction with foreigners or participated in international trade.

Nabongo Mumia had completely annihilated military and territorial threats against the Wanga Kingdom.

At the time Nabongo Mumia received a monthly salary of sh250 that amounts to US$7000 monthly pension.

Nabongo Mumia was invited to England, but he refused to travel to England under the advice of the Arabs who cautioned that he was likely to be captured.

When Nabongo Mumia died in 1949 of old age, major high-ranking members of the colonial administration such as Philip Mitchell were in attendance.

Nabongo Mumia left behind multiple descendants including 109 sons, 60 daughters and 400 grandchildren.