Tribes in Kenya

Tribes or ethnicity is a unique identity of ones origin, culture and language. Kenya is a country made up of many ethnic groups around 46, which are recognized under the Kenyan constitution. They include:

• Bantus
  • Central Highland Bantus
  • Western highland Bantus
  • Coastal Bantus
• Nilotes
  • Riverlake Nilotes
  • Highland Nilotes
  • Plain Nilotes
  • Nubi
• Cushites
• Kenya Asians
• Kenyan Arabs
• Kenyan Europeans

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BANTUS

ba-Ntu – means the people. The Bantu speaking tribes trace their origin from the Congo region

Central Highland Bantus

1. Meru/Ameru – have 9 subtribes
   • Imenti
   • Tharaka
   • Chuka
   • Igembe
   • Tigania
   • Miutine
   • Muthambi
   • Igoji
   • Mwimbi
2. Kikuyu/Agikuyu
3. Kamba/Akamba
   • Ngulia
4. Embu/Aembu
5. Mbeere

Western Bantus

1. Luhya/AbaLuhya – have 18/20/21 subtribes/clans
   • Bukusu
   • Maragali
   • Wanga
   • Kabras
   • Idakho
   • Isukha
   • Khayo
   • Kisa
   • Marachi
   • Marama
   • Nyala
   • Nyole
   • Samia
   • Tachoni
   • Tiriki
   • Tsotso
   • Batura
   • Samia
   • Batura
   • Siaya
2. Kisii/AbaGusii – have 6 subtribes
   • Bobasi
   • Bomachoge
   • Bonchari
   • Nyaribari
   • Kitutu
   • Mugirango
3. Kuria/AbaKuria
4. BaMaasaba/BaGisu
5. AbaSuba – largely assimilated by their neigbhours the Luo Nilotes

Coastal Bantus

1. Pokomo – has 11 subtribes
   • Upper Pokomo/Milajuu
     • Milalulu
     • Zubaki
     • Ndura
     • Kinankomba
     • Gwano
     • Ndera
   • Lower Pokomo/Milachini
     • Mwina
     • Ngatana
     • Buu
     • Dzunza
     • Kalindi
   • Ilwana/Wailwana – blended culture of Pokomo and Orma/Somalis/Borana. 11 clans
2. Mijikenda -the 9 tribes
   • Giriama
   • Digo
   • Duruma
   • Chonyi
   • Kauma
   • Rabai
   • Ribe
   • Kambe
   • Jibana
3. Taita/WaTaita/Dawida – 3 subtribes
   • Dawida/Taita
   • Saghalla
   • Kasighau
4. Taveta/WaTaveta
   • Warutu
   • Wanene
   • Wazirai
   • Wasuya
   • Wandigiri
5. Swahili – born from the intermarriage of Bantu and Arabs
   • Bajuni
   • Shirazi/Mbwera

Somali Bantus/Gosha/Jareeweyne

They are a Bantu ethnic minority group in Somalia who primarily reside in the southern part of the country, primarily near the Jubba and Shabelle rivers. The Somali Bantus are descendants of enslaved peoples from various Bantu ethnic groups from Southeast Africa, particularly from Mozambique, Malawi, and Tanzania.

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NILOTES

Highland Nilotes

1. Kalenjin Subtribes (exact number differs 9-11)
   • Nandi
   • Kipsigis
   • Tugen
     • Lembus – some claim not to be under tugen
   • Sabaot
   • Keiyo
   • Marakwet
   • Pokot
   • Terik
   • Sengwer/Cherengany
   • Endorois

Plain Nilotes

1. Maasai
   • Laikipiak Maasai
   • Narok Kajiado Maasai
2. Samburu/Sampur
3. Turkana
4. Njemps/Il Chamus – though the live in lake Baringo
5. Teso/Iteso

River lake Nilotes

1. Luo
   • Joja Jok
   • Joka Owiny
   • Joka omolo

Nubi

They have origins in Sudan when Nubian soldiers returning from service were allocated plots in Kibera then a forest.  Kibera originates from “Kibra”, meaning “Land of the Forest” in Nubian

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CUSHITES

1. Somali
2. Borana
3. Burji
4. Gabbra
5. Orma
6. Galla
7. Garre – part of Somali
8. Rendille
   • Ariaal – mixed rendile and samburu
9. El Molo – are almost extinct but speak samburu nilotic language
10. Aweer/Sanye/Boni
11. Waata/Sanye
12. Dahalo
13. Konso
14. Sakuye
15. Dasenach/Marille or Galibe people
16. Isaaak – clan of somali
17. Galjeel – somali clan
18. Leysan
19. Yaaku

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Others

1. Kore – live in Lamu island, lost their nilotic maa language and adopted somali language and customs
2. Kenyan Asians – descendants of railway builders majorly from India brought by british colonialists
3. Kenyan Arabs – Arabs who live along the ekenyan coastlinne with links from Oman, Yemen and Persia
4. Kenyan Europeans – descendants of Brirtish colonials
5. Kenyans in the Diaspora