Kingo: The Story of the Sabaot King

Kingo: The Great King of The Sabaot
Let us imagine a time around 700 BC and a place where the western highlands of Kenya meet the Rift Valley. We can see the tall upright figure of a man thinking about the past at the beginning of a new day. Such meditation was part of his normal morning ritual.

His people had trekked through the jungle to settle in these vast and rich lands. Life was good to his people, there was plenty of food and numerous cattle. The man’s name is Kingo.

As he meditates, Kingo affectionately strokes a traditional gourd known as a mantweet and gives a small but satisfied smile. Of all his mantweets, this particular, one is his favourite.

Kingo had four sons; Chebok, Chepkony, Chesabiny and Chebong’om. One day, one of his sons broke his most cherished mantweet. Out of anger Kingo drove all his sons all away.

Like sand thrown in the wind, the sons scattered in different directions, settling in Tanzania, Uganda and the western region of Kenya which is present day Bungoma.

Kingo’s sons tried to establish clans in these new locations but ties of blood are strong and Kingo was eventually reconciled with his sons. He reunited all the clans to form what is now known as the Sabaot community.

Kingo also placed his army under the command of his sons and gave them the responsibility to stand and fight for the Sabaot community against their enemies.

Today the Sabaot live around Mt Elgon and Kingo is still remembered as their great patriarch.

Kingo's legacy lives on
The two homes of Kingo, Cherang’any hills and Mt.Elgon are key water towers in the western part of Kenya. They provide water for communities and neighboring urban areas.

Maintaining and restoring the indigenous forests of these sires will ensure that the descendants of Kingo continue to benefit from the land.