A rebirth of the Wanga Kingdom as Prince Peter Mumia II is installed as the 14th  King of Wanga

Newly crowned King of Wanga, His Highness, Prince Peter Nabongo II (left) , US envoy to Kenya Michael Ranneberger (center) and Wanga Elders pose for a photo. Staff/ Ajabu Images

By John Harry Ndeta

NAIROBI, Kenya_ APRIL 13_The long-established Wanga Kingdom in Western Kenya currently undergoing a rebirth due to its popularity from Nabongo Mumia, the King who collaborated with the colonialists at the onset of African colonisation in ealry 20th Century has gotten a new King.

Prince Peter Mumia II who is the grandson to  Nabongo Mumia was crowned as the 14th Wanga King in a traditional ceremony attended by Elders, Kings and Queens from other tribes in Kenya and African countries.

Prince Peter was seated on a traditional three-legged stool at the coronation shrine in Matungu, part of the wider Mumias area named after the late Mumia Nabongo during the ceremony. He was decorated
with a leopard skin as a sign of bravery amongst the Luhya community and a hat used by his fore fathers before he received a golden bracelet reserved for royalty.

Prince Peter had to wait for over 14 hours for the remains of his late father Shitawa Mumia to be exhumed for a reburial at the Nabongo shrine before he was crowned. Wanga traditional culture dictates that if the
remains are not located, the prince could be excommunicated from the community and his follower crowned King in his place.

After the Long wait, the excavators  emerged with human bones bones. The all important skull, which elders claimed that if found could be an indication that the late King had accepted Prince Peter’s crowning
as the King was not to be recovered though.

Prince Peter Mumia II, the new King of Wanga

This led to protest from a section of the Council Elders and members of the community arguing that the bones were not genuine and the ceremony should be annulled.

An Elder and significant member of the Wanga community Mr. Francis Wesonga explained that King Shitawa Mumia was buried with small clay pots one on the head and the other at the feet.

“It is impossible to find bones as claimed by those who retrieved them without tracing the two pots, this is not practical.” asserted Wesonga.

But the complaints from members of the community over the authenticity of the exhumed remains of the Kings were unfruitful as the coronation went on. The excavated bones were then washed, anointed with a special cream made from the cow’s milk, wrapped in a raw black cow’s skin and taken to a cultural centre in Matungu district.

The Prince and some selected elders carrying the remains sneaked in through the back fence, marched towards the mausoleum and buried the bones near the graves of Nabongo Wamukoya (1697-1795), Nabongo Shiundu (1775-1880) and Nabongo Mumia (1849-1949).

The ceremony was graced by the Chairman of House of Traditional Elders of Kenya Mr. Kamlesh Patni, Libyan President Muamar Gaddafi represnatives led by Hajim, Queen Mother of Toro Kingdom in  in
Uganda; Best Karagisa, Mijikenda Kaya elders from Coast Province , Luo council of Elders Chairman Ker Riaga Ogalo and Kikuyu Council of Elders Samuel Thuita Mwangi.

Kamlesh Patni (cetre) chairman of House of Traditional Elders of Kenya shares a word with Kikuyu Senior Elder Samuel Mwangi (left) during the coronation of the 14th Wanga King at Nabongo Shrine in Mumias.

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