Elijah Masinde
Encyclopedia
Elijah Masinde (1910-12 (?)—1987) was a traditional leader of the Bukusu
people of western Kenya
.
, Bungoma District
, Masinde wa Nameme okhwa Mwasame started out as a footballer
, who captained a football team from Kimilili. He also played for Kenyan national team
in the Gossage Cup against Uganda
in 1930. By the early 1940s, he had risen to the rank of a junior elder within his community in Kimilili
area, and became increasingly anti-colonial. In 1944, he led a number of localised defiance campaigns against the colonial authorities, and was imprisoned many times as a result. At one time he was kept in Mathare Mental Hospital and in Lamu.
During his detention in Kapenguria with Jomo Kenyatta
he managed to forewarn Kenyatta of an impeding assassination plot, the bullet missed Kenyatta by inches,the bullet hole still exists on the prison wall up to now.
Before Kenya
gained independence, he instructed Masinde Muliro
on the tin that contained Kenya
n soil.In 1965 he defiantly crossed to Uganda to see his followers,but the then Prime Minister Milton Obote ordered his arrest,after his release he was escorted by the authorities up to the border,where he uprooted a herb called(siuna in Kibukusu)and told the officials and his followers that he had gathered Obote's leadership from its roots and it won't last,and it came to pass in 1970 when Obote was overthrown by Gen.Idd Amin Dada.He also climbed Chetambe hills where he prophesied the construction of Panpaper mills in Webuye and the Luhya political leadership coming through Lake Victoria which was almost
fulfilled after Jaramogi Odinga died and left FORD-K to the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa,who almost ascended to power had it not been an early demise,but still he left the kingly walking stick(leadership mantle)that was handed over to him by the late Jaramogi Odinga to his young brother Eugene Ludovick Wamalwa,who is currently actively featuring in the Kenya political arena
, Uganda
,Pokot, Turkana and even Baringo District.
for almost 15 years. He had been accused of fomenting religious hatred. He was released by the government of Daniel arap Moi
in 1978, Moi also arrested him following his clashes with traffic policemen in Webuye and Kitale. Elija Masinde remained defiant and always questioned post independence Kenya government especially on the issue of land distribution and citizen rights. He died in 1987, a neglected freedom fighter.
Before his death, Masinde pointed out to his elder son the spot where he wanted to be buried - he wanted a huge sycamore tree uprooted to make way for his grave. The family decided to bury him elsewhere, though, but were thwarted when a spot they chose for his grave turned out to be a hidden grave. They took this to be an omen and proceeded to bury him in the spot where the sycamore tree had been.
He left a widow, Sarah Nanyama Masinde. She was still alive in November 2007 and was then reportedly 105 years old.
Bukusu
Bukusu can refer to:*Bukusu people, an indigenous tribe of Kenya*Bukusu language, a Bantu language spoken by the Bukusu people...
people of western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
.
Early life
Born around 1910 - 1912 in KimililiKimilili
Kimilili is a town and area in Kenya's Bungoma District. The area is occupied mainly by the Bukusu and Sabaot communities. Its proximity to the fertile slopes of Mt Elgon, on the Kenya-Uganda border, has made it a trading center for agricultural goods and services...
, Bungoma District
Bungoma District
Bungoma District is a district in the Western Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Bungoma. It has a population of 876,491 and an area of 2,069 km².The economy of Bungoma district is mainly agricultural, centering on the sugar cane and maize industries...
, Masinde wa Nameme okhwa Mwasame started out as a footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, who captained a football team from Kimilili. He also played for Kenyan national team
Kenya national football team
The Kenya national football team, nicknamed the Harambee Stars, is the national team of Kenya and is controlled by Football Kenya Limited, the governing body of football in Kenya. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals.-History:...
in the Gossage Cup against Uganda
Uganda national football team
The Uganda national football team, nicknamed The Cranes, is the national team of Uganda and is controlled by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations...
in 1930. By the early 1940s, he had risen to the rank of a junior elder within his community in Kimilili
Kimilili
Kimilili is a town and area in Kenya's Bungoma District. The area is occupied mainly by the Bukusu and Sabaot communities. Its proximity to the fertile slopes of Mt Elgon, on the Kenya-Uganda border, has made it a trading center for agricultural goods and services...
area, and became increasingly anti-colonial. In 1944, he led a number of localised defiance campaigns against the colonial authorities, and was imprisoned many times as a result. At one time he was kept in Mathare Mental Hospital and in Lamu.
Deeds
In his early years Masinde managed to light a fire over Grass thatched house and cook a meal that people ate.During his detention in Kapenguria with Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
he managed to forewarn Kenyatta of an impeding assassination plot, the bullet missed Kenyatta by inches,the bullet hole still exists on the prison wall up to now.
Before Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
gained independence, he instructed Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro
Masinde Muliro was a Kenyan politician, one of the central figures in the shaping of the political landscape in Kenya. A renowned freedom fighter, he campaigned for the restoration of multi-party democracy in Kenya in his later years....
on the tin that contained Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n soil.In 1965 he defiantly crossed to Uganda to see his followers,but the then Prime Minister Milton Obote ordered his arrest,after his release he was escorted by the authorities up to the border,where he uprooted a herb called(siuna in Kibukusu)and told the officials and his followers that he had gathered Obote's leadership from its roots and it won't last,and it came to pass in 1970 when Obote was overthrown by Gen.Idd Amin Dada.He also climbed Chetambe hills where he prophesied the construction of Panpaper mills in Webuye and the Luhya political leadership coming through Lake Victoria which was almost
fulfilled after Jaramogi Odinga died and left FORD-K to the late Vice President Kijana Wamalwa,who almost ascended to power had it not been an early demise,but still he left the kingly walking stick(leadership mantle)that was handed over to him by the late Jaramogi Odinga to his young brother Eugene Ludovick Wamalwa,who is currently actively featuring in the Kenya political arena
Dini Ya Musambwa
While in jail, Masinde claimed to have had a vision. In the vision Wele Khakaba(God the Provider) instructed him to tell the whiteman to quit Kenya for it is not his country], and proclaimed that a Blackman is going to rule Kenya in the future.That whitemen are sheep of God now turned into wolves that were feasting on children of Wele(God). When he was released, he revived Musambwa(Luhya word meaning The Spirit of a people"), and gained huge followings in western KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
,Pokot, Turkana and even Baringo District.
Detention, old age, and death
Upon Kenya's independence, Masinde was detained by the government of Jomo KenyattaJomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
for almost 15 years. He had been accused of fomenting religious hatred. He was released by the government of Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
in 1978, Moi also arrested him following his clashes with traffic policemen in Webuye and Kitale. Elija Masinde remained defiant and always questioned post independence Kenya government especially on the issue of land distribution and citizen rights. He died in 1987, a neglected freedom fighter.
Before his death, Masinde pointed out to his elder son the spot where he wanted to be buried - he wanted a huge sycamore tree uprooted to make way for his grave. The family decided to bury him elsewhere, though, but were thwarted when a spot they chose for his grave turned out to be a hidden grave. They took this to be an omen and proceeded to bury him in the spot where the sycamore tree had been.
He left a widow, Sarah Nanyama Masinde. She was still alive in November 2007 and was then reportedly 105 years old.