The Earliest Chiefs in Kipsigisland
The following are some of the earliest Chiefs in Kipsigisland.
They were araap Ngulolu, Kipsiongo araap Terer of Kipkoibon, araap Taptugen of Peelguut, araap Buiywo araap Nyarino, araap Tamasoon, araap Kirui of Kapkugoeek clan, araap Tompo, araap Mastamet, araap Cheriro, Kendeiywo araap Baliach,arap Moigi and araap Tengecha who stood out among all of them.
They were araap Ngulolu, Kipsiongo araap Terer of Kipkoibon, araap Taptugen of Peelguut, araap Buiywo araap Nyarino, araap Tamasoon, araap Kirui of Kapkugoeek clan, araap Tompo, araap Mastamet, araap Cheriro, Kendeiywo araap Baliach,arap Moigi and araap Tengecha who stood out among all of them.
Historian Komma Toru, writes in “The Dwelling and
Its Symbolism Among the Kipsigis” that Chief araap Tengecha, a close
friend of Kenyatta was an orphan who used to rough boys in Menjo. Komma
adds and I quote:He Came from a group of hunter-gatherers called Ndorobo
in East Africa. It is said that araa Tengecha was originally a member
of the Ogieek,or the Omotik and that he was able to speak Ikwobek, a
dialect of the Maasai, in addition to the Kipsigis languages. Arap
Cheriro was a semi-prophet chief”
Komma(1981) also
writes that Menya araap Kisiara was expelled from Kipsigis for marrying
Chebo-Chepkochok, a woman from Kapkericheeh like Kisiara. Kisiara was
later banished from Kipsigis land with Chebo Chepkochok and became
members or Kapkaoon. Menya left for Maasailand together with warriors
named Tapkile and Kipketes(Kipkeles?).Orchardson writes that Kipkeles
was of Naracheek clan. Kiburio Mookwo is said to have taken over Menya
araap Kisiara after he(Kisiara) did the abomination of marrying a girl
from Kapkericheek clan. Kiburio Mookwo and Ole Lang’unywa are praised in
Kipsigis legends.
Menya araap Kisiara may not have
taken part in the war of Mogori(Saosao War in Gusi) but was
instrumental in pushing the Gusi from Bereti during Chemoiben War.