A Luo colonial chief named only as Jacob, with his local ‘police’ or ogulmama Evans-Pritchard, 1936
The Alego people, also called Jo-Alego, have a long history tied to migration, conflict, and settlement. They are descendants of Alego, son of Anda, who was the son of Jok. This places them in the Jo-Kajok group, which is part of the Ramogi Luo-speaking communities.
They are closely related to Jo-Kano, Jo-Kisumo, Jo-Nyakach, Jo-Ramogi, and Jo-Seme. Their movement started from Got Ramogi Hill, where the first Luo settlers arrived after reaching the shores of Lake Victoria. Alego people, being hunters, warriors, and herders, spread out in search of grazing lands, moving further north from the Winam Gulf.
They were among the first Luo to move eastward, crossing the Yala River and settling in Nyandiwa, near present-day Siaya Township. They encountered Bantu-speaking communities, called Jo-Imbo, who resisted their presence, but the Alego warriors, known for their strength, overpowered them and forced them to move toward Yimbo and Gem. Some of these groups fled even further, settling in places like Samia and Ugenya.
Over time, the Alego people became the earliest Luo occupants of the region. When colonial administration came in the early 20th century, it reinforced their identity by zoning the area into what is now Alego. However, they were not the only dominant group in the region. Other major clans, such as Kakan, Karuoth, and Kaluo, often competed for leadership positions.
The people of Alego, along with their neighbors in Ugenya and Gem, have distinct variations in vocabulary and pronunciation that set them apart from other Luo-speaking groups. The Alego clan itself consists of several sub-clans, including Seje, Kadenge, Kanyajuok (Kanyinek), and Kamiyawa.
The Kamiyawa sub-clan originally belonged to Alego but has since been absorbed into the Nyasmwa cluster of the Sakwa people. According to oral tradition, Miyawa, the eldest son of Alego, was rejected by his father because he was an illegitimate child.
He left Alego and went to live in Sakwa with his maternal uncles. His descendants became the Kamiyawa clan, and over time, they fully assimilated into the Nyasmwa of Sare Awendo and Sakwa Bondo.
Today, they no longer identify separately from the Sakwa people. The Kamiyawa sub-clan includes smaller groups such as Kamasoga, Kanyamngony, Kamadhi and Kanyagwala, who do not intermarry because they all trace their lineage to Elder Miyawa.
The Seje sub-clan traces its roots to Seje, the son of Alego. After the rejection of his older brother Miyawa, Seje became recognized as Alego’s first son. His descendants settled in Masumbi, Bar Olengo, and Randago, mainly in the southern parts of Karemo. A few Seje families also live in Alego, Awendo. They followed the same migration route as the larger Alego group, moving eastward from Got Ramogi, crossing the Yala River, and establishing themselves in what is now Alego. They also fought and displaced the Bantu-speaking groups they found in the area.
Denge, the youngest son of Alego, became the founder of the Kadenge sub-clan. His people settled in Ratuoro, near the swampy Lake Kanyaboli in Central Alego. Their villages are close to those of the Seje people to the east. The Kanyajuok, also called Kanyinek, settled in Nyajuok in Southeast Alego and around Kanga in Rongo.
The Alego people’s history is one of movement, conflict and adaptation. They have maintained a strong identity through generations, shaping the cultural landscape of the Luo community in Nyanza. The details in this account come from oral traditions, historical records and local knowledge passed down over time.
Leave a comment