The Tachoni Clans

The Tachoni Clans. The Tachoni is one of the 17 sub-tribes that form the Luhya people of western Kenya, known for its gallant defense of the Chetambe in 1895 when resisting British rule. Tachoni people were masters at building forts such as Chetambe, Lumboka, and Kiliboti. It was their defiance of colonialism that led to the colonial government putting the entire region occupied by the Tachoni under administration of paramount chiefs drawn from Bunyala and Wanga communities. haring the land with the Abanyala, the Kabras,^[2] Nandi, and Bukusu tribe. They live mainly in Webuye, Chetambe Hills, Ndivisi (of Bungoma County) Matete sub-county-Lwandeti, Maturu, Mayoyo, Lukhokho, Kiliboti, Kivaywa, Chepsai,^[3] and Lugari sub-county in Kakamega County. Most Tachoni clans living in Bungoma speak the ‘ Olutachoni dialect of the Luhya language, and they are subsequently often mistaken as Bukusus. They spread to Trans-Nzoia County especially around Kitale, and to Uasin Gishu County near Turbo, Eldoret. Among the Tachoni clans are Abachikha -further divided into Abakobolo, Abamuongo, Abachambai,Abamakhanga, Abacharia, and Abakabini, Abamarakalu, Abangachi -who are further divided into: Abawaila, Abakhumaya and Abawele, Abasang’alo, Abasamo, Abayumbu (mostly around Webuye), Abaluu, Abarefu,Abanyangali, Abamuchembi, Abamakhuli, Abasioya, Abaabichu,Abacheo, Abamachina,Abaengele, Abamutama, Abakafusi, Abasonge, Abasaniaka, Abaabiya also known as Abakatumi (Abamuumbwa, Abachikolati and Abamuruli), Abakubwayi,Abakamutebi, Abakamukong, Abamweya, Abalukulu,Abawande, Abatukiika, Abachimuluku. Note that the morpheme ‘aba’ means ‘people’. The Abakhusia/abasamo of Kabras are also Tachonis who speak Kikabras. Abayumbu and Abaluu are twin brothers, hence do not intermmary.

The community members trace their origin to a place called El-Matruh, Egypt (Misri), From Egypt, the followed the Nile down into the present day Kenya. Important areas on the Tachoni migration route include Sirikwa, which is referred to most by scholars to link Tachoni and Kalenjin ethnic group.

It is important to note that, histiorically, the Tachoni people were known by different names. Some of the names include the Kitoki, Kitosh, Evekwe-those from the East, Sirikwa, and Tashone

They speak Lutachoni and occupy Lugari, Trans-Nzoia, Likuyani, Bungoma and Malava districts. 

Tachoni clans include

• Abachikha-Abakobolo,
• Abachambai,
• Abakabini,
• Abacharia, and Abamuhonngo-,
• Abakamutebi,
• Abamarakalu,
• Abasang’alo,
• Abangachi,
• Abasioya,
• Abaabiya,
• Abatecho,
• Abaengele,
• Abaabichwa,
• Abamarakalu,
• Abamakhanga,
• Abamakhuli,
• Abalugulu,
• Abakubwayi,
• Abakuusi,
• Abakamlevi,
• Abachewa,
• Abameywa,
• Abamurundi,
• Abamua,
• Abachimuluk,
• Abachivino,
• Abanyang’ali,
• Abarefu,
• Abasamba,
• Abasamo,
• Abaluu,
• Abayumbu,
• Abawande,
• Abaabichu,
• Abasonge/Abasonje,
• Abasaniaka,
• Abamweya, and
• Abamalicha. The Saniaga clan found among the Maragoli in Kenya and the Saniak in Tanzania are said to have originally been Tachoni.

Other clans said to have been Tachoni are the Bangachi found among Bagisu of Uganda, and Balugulu, also found in Uganda and the Bailifuma, found among the Banyala.

Although Trans Nzoia is in the Rift Valley province, substantial Luhya populations have settled in the Kitale area.