Notable events( Pre 2010) to identify age groups in Ukambani
OLD KITUI DISTRICT
1901: Kũka kwa kĩlovoo- Introduction of Rupee coins
1908: Yũa ya Kĩlovoo (malakwe)- Famine of beans
1913: Kaũ mũnene- 1st World War
1917: Mũimũ wa andũ(ĩmili)- Cerebral spinal Menengitis
1918: Mũminũkĩlyo wa kaũ- End of WWI
1922: Kũka kwa Silingi-Introduction of shillings
1924: Yũa ya Nzalũkanga-Great famine
1926: Kũkwatwa kwa sua- Great solar eclipse
1929: Yũa ya Kakũti-Great famine
1930: Yũa ya Silanga-Famine during digging of dams
1935: Yũa ya Mavĩndĩ- Famine of selling bones
1939: Kaũ wa nzilimani na Italia- 2nd World War
1942: Yũa ya Maanga- Famine of cassava
1944: Yũa ya Nzie(Ngie)- Famine of Locust
1945:Mũminũkĩlyo wa kaũ wa Italia- End of 2nd World War
1946: Yũa ya mutumbu katune- Famine of Red flour relief(Ndovoi)
1950: Yũa ya makonge- Famine of selling sisal
1952: Mau Mau- Mau Mau oath taking and declaration of emergency in Kenya
1961: Yũa ya ndeke,Mbua nene- Transportation of relief food by air, heavy rains caused by floods & locust
1963: Kenya kũkwata Ũũrũ- Kenya became independent (12-12-1963)
1965: Yũa ya mũtu wa ngano- Famine when people were using wheat flour
1966: Yũa ya Masinga- Famine when people from Kitui were buying food from Masinga in Machakos
MAKUENI/NZAUI/KIBWEZI/MBOONI
1900: Mission (at Muisũni, KDO)
1904: Ilovi yĩyatũangwa (first settlement in Nairobi)
1906: Kyeso (Dance)
1908: Andũ ma mbee kutua kuu kuma Mua- Chief Ntheketha
1910: Ndata ila yaunie(Famous star)
1910-1915: Malakwe Famine- Famine of beans
1911: Timamu (Report) 1012
1914: Kaũ wa mathyaka: 1st World War
1915: Sukulu ya lazima: Compulsory School)
1918-1919: Muimu wa mavui(Epidemic of domestic animals)
1926: Yila kwatukie (solar eclipse)
1927: Mwaka wa Ngie- When locust invaded Machakos
1929: Nzalũkangye,Kakuti, Nzalũkye (famine)
1931: Ngiye syaya Liu (Locust which destroyed crops)
1934: Yũa ya Ũkũkũ (famine)
1938: Kũawa kwa itheka na makonge (fencing with sisal)
1938: Ũkũ kutwika chief (reign of chief Ũkũ)
1939-1940: Mũindi Mbĩngu
1939-1945: Kaũ wa Nzilimanĩ Italia (WWII)
1942: Munyoloka/Munyoloka Upesi (famine)
1943: Mbulunga (famine)
1945: Mwolyo (famine)
1946: Kuandikithw’a kwa itheka sya kuta (Land Registration for sale)
1949-1951: Silanga iyambĩwa kwĩnzwa( Building of dams)
1952: Mbua ya kanzi/Mamboleo (floods)
1952: Mau Mau- State of Emergency
1962: Yũa ya Ndeke , Mbua nene- Great famine & floods
1968: Yũa ya Atta( Famine)
1969: Kũtalwa kwa mbee ĩtina wa Ũsumbĩ ( First post Independence Census)
1972-1973: Yũa ya Longosa ( The Famine that caused movement problems in cattle)
1974: Yũa ya Longosa (Drought that affected livestock)
1978: KÅ©kw’a kwa Kinyata na kusumbika kwa Moi ( Death of Jomo Kenyatta & Inaugration of President Moi)
1980: Yũa ya Nikwangwete (Famine whose money was available but no food to buy)
1984: Yũa ya Katokele/ yua ya ndukambikwatye (The famine of yellow maize) or
1985:Ivinda ya Kiinyu (Army worm invasion)
1986: Ndata yooneka (A strange star was seen in the sky)
1989: Utalo wa andu wa keli kuma Ũsumbĩ ( 2nd post independence population census)
1991: Kwambiiwa kwa syama mbingi ( Introduction of multi-partism)
1992: Kwambililwa kwa District nzau(Creation of new district)
1997-1998: Mbua ya El Nino (El Nino rains)
1999 : Mutalo wa andu itina wa mbua ya El Nino (3rd post independence population census)
2000: By Election itina wa kukwa kwa MP wa Kilome Ndilinge
2002: Kusoivwa kwa lelu wa Mombasa- Rehabilitation of Mombasa raod
2005: Kukunwa kura sya usenzya kativa(Referundum)
2007: Kwambiwa kwa Nzaui District( inception of Nzaui District)
2009: Yua ya Ukamba (Drought in Ukambani)
MACHAKOS/KANGUNDO/MWALA/YATTA
1900: Mission (At Muisuni, KDO)
1904: Ilovi yiyatuangwa (first settlement in Nairobi)
1906-1910: Andu ma mbee kutua Masaku Kma Mua Chief Ntheketha
1908: Andũ ma mbee kutua kuu kuma Mua Chief Ntheketha
1910: Ndata ila yaunie(Famous star)
1910-1915: Malakwe Famine- Famine of beans
1911: Timamu (Report) 1012
1914: Kau wa mathyaka: 1st World War
1915: Sukulu ya lazima: Compulsory School)
1918-1919: Muimu wa mavui(Epidemic of domestic animals)
1926: Yila kwatukie (solar eclipse)
1927: Mwaka wa Ngie- When locust invaded Machakos
1929: Nzalukangye,Kakuti, Nzalukye (famine)
1931: Ngiye syaya Lĩu ( Locust which destroyed crops)
1932-1934: Yua ya Ũkũkũ (famine)
1938: Kuawa kwa itheka na makonge (fencing with sisal)
1938: Ũkũ kutwika chief (reign of chief Ũkũ)
1939-1940: Mũindi Mbĩngu
1939-1945: Kaũ wa Nzilimanĩ Italia (WWII)
1942: Munyoloka/Munyoloka Upesi (famine)
1943: Mbulunga (famine)
1945: Mwolyo (famine)
1946: Kuandikithw’a kwa itheka sya kuta (Land Registration for sale)
1949-1951: Silanga iyambiwa kwinzwa( Building of dams)
1952: Mbua ya kanzi/Mamboleo (floods)
1952: Mau Mau- State of Emergency
1962: Yua ya Ndeke, Mbua nene/Mafuriko- Great famine & floods
1968: Yua ya Atta(Famine)
1969: Kũtalwa kwa mbee itina wa Ũsumbĩ( First post Independence Census)
1972-1973: Yua ya Longosa ( The Famine that caused movement problems in cattle)
1974: Yua ya Longosa (Drought that affected livestock)
1978: Kukw’a kwa Kinyata na kusumbika kwa Moi ( Death of Jomo Kenyatta & Inaugration of President Moi)
1980: Yua ya Nikwangwete (Famine whose money was available but no food to buy)
1984: Yua ya Katokele/ yua ya ndukambikwatye (The famine of yellow maize / when Food for work programme was introduced)
1985:Ivinda ya Kiinyu (Army worm invasion)
1986: Ndata yooneka (A strange star was seen in the sky)
1989: Utalo wa andu wa keli kuma usumbi ( 2nd post independence population census)
1991: Kwambiiwa kwa syama mbingi ( Introduction of multi-partism)
1992: Kwambililwa kwa District nzau ya Makueni kuma Machakos(Creation of Makueni district from Machakos)
1997-1998: Mbua ya El Nino (El Nino rains)
1999 : Mutalo wa andu itina wa mbua ya El Nino (3rd post independence population census)
2000: By Election itina wa kukwa kwa MP wa Kilome Ndilinge
2002: Kusovwa kwa lelu wa Mombasa- Rehabilitation of Mombasa road/ NARC government take over
2005: Kukunwa kura sya usenzya kativa(National Referundum on Constitution)
2007: Kwambiwa kwa Machakos,Kangundo, Mwala and Yatta District( inception of New Districts from Machakos district)
2009: Yua ya Ukamba (Drought in Ukambani)
MWINGI/KYUSO
1929: Nzalukangye (Famine)
1952: Mau Mau (state of Emergency)
1954: Yua ya Laini, Yua ya Nguni (Movement of livestock to Nguni and arranged according to locality)
1971: Construction of Nguni Health Centre, Major outbreak of Cholera in Nguni)
1981: Siting of a large Star in the west (Kwoneka kwa ndata nene uthuiloni wa sua)
1981: Handing over of St.Arms Memorial Hospital to GOK (Mwingi Level IV Hospital)
1985: Death of Philip Manandu, former M.P for Kitui North
1989: George Adamson killed by Shifta bandits & buried at Kambi ya Simba
1993: Creation of Mwingi District
1996: First visit by President Moi to Ngomeni and Tseikuru divisions
2006: Tseikuru Primary school temporarily closed over pupils’ Riots
2007: Creation of Kyuso District from old Mwingi district
2008: Kalonzo becomes Vice president in the Grand Coalition Government.
STORY By ENG CEPHAS MUTAI