ASEMBO CLAN 1: THE ORCHARD REPUBLIC

Updated: Jun 9

Asembo, the Orchard republic apparently is not the smallest republic in Africa let alone in the world. If the arrogation of the republic nickname became legal the Asembo in size at least would not be so small. How did we get to the republic and orchard nicknames (ref Osite Kale) And why do musicians from that area call themselves Ka’Le? And who was Asembo anyway? And did you know their first president would have been late Tom Mboya. And right now Raphael Tuju or Otieno Kajwang' jr would be the president! We will find out in later section on clans and who-is-who of Asembo, the orchid republic. For now, let us begin from the genesis.

A. THE GENESIS OF ASEMBO.

Verse 1: And so it came to pass that in about 1250 years ago, Sin Kuru also known as Kuku Lubanga and his 12 wives begot some three sons, Lioleituk Dyang’, Odongo Pok Boni and Opiyo Podho Koma.

Verse 2: From the house of Opiyo Podho Koma, Ringruok (1245?) begot Owat (1274?).

Verse 3: And Owat begot Twaifo (1303?).

Verse 4: Twaifo begot Jok I (1332?).

Verse 5: And then it came to pass that Jok I begot 3 sons Nayo (1361?), Omolo (1363?) and Owiny (1366?).

Verse 6: And Nayo begot Jok II (1390?).

Verse 7: Jok II begot Ramogi I (1419?).

Verse 8: And Ramogi I begot Aruwa (1448?) and another son Podho II (1450?) that he named after his ancestor Podho.

Verse 9: And from the house of Podho II came Ramogi II (1469?), Lang’ni (1471?), Okombo (1473?), Omia (1475?), Didang’ (1477?), Miwiru (1479) and Olak (1481).

Asembo

Verse 27: And Miwiru begot Nyandguogi (1508). And Nyandguogi begot Oriambwa.

Verse 28: And Oriambwa begot Ujal.

Verse 29: And Ujal begot Kini.

Verse 30: And from the house of Kini came three sons, Silwal, Sabong’, Okidi.

Verse 31: And Silwal begot Le and Amolo

Verse 32: And Le married a headstrong woman and begot sons Nyakala and Abondo and a girl Kia. And from the other wife Le begot a son Oduong’.

Verse 33: And from the house of Nyakala came Rombo, Ochieng’-Ambu, Alwar, Obiero Agak and Nyaliang’a.

B. SONGS OF DIASPORAS

Verse 1: And so it came to pass that a jamwa was hosted in the in the home of Nyakala. And mysteriously Nyakala first wife who passed menopause gave birth to Ochieng’ after cohabiting with Ambu the jamwa. And that is how Ochieng’ became Ochieng’ Ambu and an outcast.

Verse 2: And it came to pass that Nyakala was ailing. And Nyakala summoned his sister married to Joka'Kika to come and take Ochieng’ Ambu as he feared that his mother already dead, the brothers will want to harm him as he had escaped harm before when his mother forewarned him.

Verse 3: And Ochieng’ Ambu lived with the Joka'Kika clan till today.

Verse 4: And from Abondo son of Le came Ochung’. And Ochung’ begot Aboke meaning born without the mother menstruating between the pregnancies. And Aboke (aka Okumu) begot Onyango Bondi and Asiyo “Mwenesi” which in ancient dholuo meant a non-lactating mother.

Verse 5: And Ochung’ also inherited (tero) his father’s wife and begot Sibworo.

Jokabondo

Verse 6: And it came to pass that Awuor who was mother to Oduong’ passed on. And Oduong’ went to live with his sister Adeka who was married to Owila. Adeka shared the husband with Amolo (Silwal) as siweho.

Verse 7: And Adeka and Amolo conspired to settle their mderma brother with a well-chosen bride.

Verse 8: And Amolo married in Uyoma gave birth to Ojal and Onege who are the ancestors of Kabudha and Katweng’a.

Verse 9: And Adeka gave birth to Ochieng’ Ong’iro who are now the Kaliech clan in Kokwiri.

Verse 10: And it came to pass that Kia who was married to Onyango whispered to Onyango to flee with her to live among his prosperous people. And that is how Kia came to live with joka’Le.

Verse 12: And joka’Le migrated from Alego Kaluo to come and live at Gangu. At it is at Gangu that Jo Kale received retreating the cattle rustling Owila sons with contraband livestock from Matar.

Verse 13: And quarrelsome Kale continued to live with peaceful Uyoma people.

The birth of Asembo name

Verse 14: And living with joka’Le became unbearable because joka’Le was jomahundu. And living together it became violence after violence. And it came to pass that one time joka’Le killed Kabudha son of Uyoma and were made to compensate. Then Opiyo Kwach killed Ongoro with a blunt object and also was made to pay.

Verse 16: Then Ouya son of Nyawanga of kaKia kidnapped his lover Ojal Goro. And it came to pass that in the ensuing battle and joka’Le killed Otieno Amire.

Verse 17: And it came to pass that host Uyoma evicted joka'Le with the words sembri gi jodak mondo uaa (frog march your diasporas and depart).

Verse 18: And the evicted joka’Le trekked to Lwak area led by Oracha Rambo.

Verse 19: And Oracha commanded Oduong’ to bless the new land with the blood of a ram. And Oduong’ the elder son declined the ritual.

Verse 20: And Kisedu at the instigation of Otucho a rogue old man jumped the queue and performed the cleansing ritual and was cursed for being out of order.

Verse 21: And today there is the red alert riddle of: Tho tho tho tho tho! In Otucha Jakanyakala ma itucho kod wach a-tucha?”

Flight to the Rusinga islands

Verse 22: And the joka’Le now Jo’Asembo prospered immensely in Lwak area.

Verse 23: But Uyoma and Sakwa people just intensified their efforts to vanquish joka’Le.

Verse 24: And it came to pass that there were voyages to Chula to seek medicines for sleeping sickness, ndira and nundu. And Mboga of Uyoma came back with sleeping sickness that devastated Uyoma. And Sakwa emissary also came back with sleeping sickness that devastated Sakwa.

Verse 25: And some Asembo people tired of endless vendetta crossed the lake just like ka’Nyada son of Ugenya and ka’Kan son of Alego to settle in Chula.

Verse 26: And from these pilgrimage are descendants of joka’Le who to date identify themselves as jo Asembo

Verse 27: And Ng’iela also came back with sleeping sickness that devastated Sakwa.

Verse 28: Bala Nyochoro of Asembo went to the islands but came back with rainmaking spell to grow crops.

Verse 29: And word arrived in Asembo Lwak that a combined forces of remnants of Uyoma and Sakwa was on the way to attack.

Verse 30: And Bala of Asembo unleashed the rainstorms. And Uyoma and Sakwa warriors were left marooned and bedevilled by the storm.

Verse 31: And the next day Asembo went to on slaughter and blood bath of Uyoma and Sakwa confused warriors.

Verse 32: And that was the last that was heard of that belligerence from Uyoma and Sakwa.