History of Machakos
About Machakos Way Back When
A Brief History of Machakos
Machakos remains a salient historical, cultural, and economic county, blending traditional Kamba heritage with modern development. Still largely inhabited by the Akamba people, a Bantu ethnic group known for their history and cottage industries of trade, craftsmanship, and agriculture. The Kamba nation, estimated at about 4.6 million, make up, by sheer weight of numbers, one-tenth of Kenya’s peopling. Living in the eastern and southeastern regions, primarily in Makueni, Kitui and Machakos counties, the genial and soft spoken Kamba, are fascinating!
In the 1890s, Machakos town experienced the first significant contact with the outside world, first with the missionaries and the more deep-rooted connection with the colonial administration. The Africa Inland Mission (AIM) set up one of Kenya’s earliest mission stations in Machakos in the 1890s, introducing Western education and Christianity. By 1895 IBEACo had divided Kenya into provinces. After the collapse of IBEACo in 1896 the British government took direct control of Kenya, they began by securing areas IBEACo had marked as administration bases.
Machakos was the earliest district in Kenya, aside from the Coast belt, in which there was any permanent European settlement. The eastern half of the area fell into the Kamba Native Land Unit administered from Machakos, while that part of the area south of the railway was Maasai country administered from Kajiado. European farmlands occupied the central area between the Kamba and Maasai reserves. Machakos was founded in 1887 as the first administrative post for the British East Africa Company in the interior, before the headquarters was moved.
The capital was moved to Nairobi two years later. It is widely thought that the reason for this move was because the Uganda Railway by-passed Machakos Town. Still, others believe the move was attributed to the hostilities and conflicts between the local traders, natives, the settlers, and the government railway construction officials. The establishment of the station at Machakos in 1889 had coincided with a period of increasing prosperity among the Akamba. Their trade was flourishing, as was their successful raids against the Oromo and the Maasai.
Relations between the Akamba and the British were soon strained because the British interfered with the trading activities of the Akamba. The long-standing company porters and soldiers rebelled, went great guns on indiscipline, became obstreperous even, stealing and destroying property. Another cause of friction was the lack of respect for Kamba traditions, including the wanton destruction of traditionally significant trees. The move by the British to stop the Akamba from raiding their Kikuyu neighbours was the last straw. The unrest was inevitable.
The organized attempt to attack Machakos Fort by an influential Kamba trader and trader, Mwatu wa Ngoma, was thwarted by the then District Commissioner, John Ainsworth, who had been informed beforehand of the imminent danger and was well prepared. Henceforth, Mwatu wa Ngoma became an ally of Ainsworth for self-interest. The Akamba struggle to remain free was pursued by another warrior, Mwana Muka from Kangundo. He was opposed to, and incited his fork againist occupation of the Kamba land through the establishment of police garrisons.
The discordance between Mwana Muka and Ainsworth – unnerved by the open rebellion – would lead to a significant engagement, fought to keep the gainful raiding routes open or, from the point of view of Ainsworth on behalf of the government, conform to the new colonial rules. The actions of Mwana Muka to send his warriors to attack the garrison prompted Ainsworth to send a punitive expedition of 950 Maasai warriors to ravage the area. It was a decisive chapter in the history of the Akamba, who lost 556 cattle and 1,300 goats during that foray.
Rather hard-hearted about the counter, Mwana Muka organized further attacks on the communication links between Machakos and Fort Smith. Reciprocally, a second punitive force comprising Kikuyu and Maasai warriors devastated the Kangundo area, forcing the hand of Mwana Muka to sue for peace. A detachment of the Kenya African Rifles was established in Kangundo. Although the Akamba resistance continued well into the 20th century, the colonial forces always had an upper hand and kept rule of law over Kamba land.
Part of the larger Ukambani alongside Kitui and Makueni, Machakos County is a nexus between Maasailand, the coast region, the central highlands, and Nairobi. The northern area of Machakos, being a dormitory zone for the capital of Nairobi and a peri-urban buffer for Kiambu, is developed with useful amenities. Southerly heading the ecology is continually semi-arid and the countryside more desolate.
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Explore Destinations in Machakos County
A Guide to Machakos County
A Summa Digest of Machakos
About Machakos Way Back When
45 Destinations in Machakos County , arranged as one would visit these - north, south, east then north - with aid of in-depth narratives, images, maps and distance chart:
Makuyu Ridge , Masinga Dam , Seven Forks Circuit , Mwea National Reserve , Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park , Ol Donyo Sapuk Resort , MacMillan Castle , Fourteen Falls , Yatta Plateau , Kanzalu Range , AIC Kangundo, The Komarock Shrine , Hyena Caves , Kitonga Garden Resort , The Thui Stone , African Heritage House , Athi-Kapiti Conservancy , Kwa Kyelu Wildlife Sanctuary , The Whistling Moran, Stony-Athi , Small World Country Club , Swara Plains Conservancy , Lukenya Hills , Kikao Camping Farm , Lukenya Motocross , Maanzoni Sanctuary , Amazing Kenya Retreat , Chumvi Tamu Camp, Konza Technopolis , Machakos Peoples Park , Masaku Flea and Curio Market , Old Fort of Machakos , Gelian Hotel , Kiima Kimwe , Machakos Golf Course , Mua Hills , Mua Hills Tented Camp , Iveti Forest Reserve , AIC Mumbuni , Kituluni Hill , Kamuthanga Farm , Wamunyu Handicrafts
Know More About Machakos County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
What’s The Air Like in Machakos?
Climate in much of the area is pleasant and similar to that of Nairobi, with temperature varying between 18 o C and 29 o C. And, rain is heaviest in March, April and September.
What’s The Lay Of The Land In C.16?
Machakos County has rather unique topographical map – Hills and a small plateau in the mid area, a large plateau elevated in the south, and isolated hillscape in the north.
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