Abonwe Bangaangi, a leading subclan of the Marachi clan in Busia County, has initiated plans to have its members enlisted, for posterity and pulling one going another forward.
The subclan with its roots in Butula subcounty, has its members spread across East Africa and the numbers seem to be growing more than expected.
Marachi has several subclans among them the Abafofoyo, Bamudu, Bang’ayo, Babere among others and they all have roots in Butula subcounty.
Abonwe Bangaangi were know blacksmiths in the early years and used to make arrows, spears and other assorted weaponry thus the name Aberaanyi which was coined to Abangangi.
Owing to the surge in numbers, the subclan saw it good to bring together all Abangangi wherever they were in the world so that its traditions, lineage and other family history does not get lost.
Speaking to this writer, the subclan Secretary General Mr Gerald Malala said Abonwe are spread across the East Africa Region and have seen it good to come up with a structure that will see no member get lost.
“We wanted to bring each member of the subclan on board and incorporate him or her to the family structure, empower them and even be sharing where necessary,” said Mr Malala.
He added, “If you want to go far, you go with others. We have members of the subclan who are doing well in several areas ranging from corporate, politics, education, medical and even business. For us to reach out to our people we must first identify with them.”
He noted among them there are people with various challenges ranging from school fees, health, among other challenges and they can only help someone if they know what he or she is going through.
To make things easier, the leadership of the subclan is coming up with a database so that any member can be reached out easily based on where he or she comes from.
A total of eleven (11) regions have been created to see to it that everyone is captured.
Every region is to come up with a structured leadership comprising of the chairperson, secretary, treasurer, youth leader, organising secretary, among others.
“All this is aimed at effective service delivery to enable everyone feel the leadership,” said Mr Malala.
A year ago, the subclan coronated Prof. Josephat Mulimba as its patron in a high-profile event that was held at his home in Bukuyudi.
Prof. Mulimba is a renowned scholar in Busia and in the country and an education champion.
“We want our people empowered. We want to rally our members to take education seriously as we can only add value to ourselves if we take education seriously. Let us take our children to school if we want to have a meaningful generation,” pointed a senior member of the executive.
The process of enlisting members started earnestly where every member is required to register with Ksh500 to become a member of the Abonwe Bangaangi Family. So far over 200 members have already been registered and the process is ongoing well.
“Our goal is to ensure the family history does not get lost, the subclan is empowered, more professionals, knowing what every member of the subclan is doing and support each other in times of need going forward. That can only be possible if the regional office will speed up the process of enlisting members,” Malala said.
The subclan has produced leaders in the past and some are still office bearers in the several departments.
“When we come together, great things happen that has been our mantra. Abonwe are really coming together and it is going to be one of the most organised family factions owing to structures that the patron Prof. Josephat Mulimba and Mr Gerald Malala have put in place to see to it that the Abonwe family stands out,” a member said.
The subclan prides itself in producing Members of Parliament such as Mukasa Mango and his wife Prof. Christine Mango, who also served Butula as a Member of Parliament.
“We also have senior professionals in media, health, legal, politics among others,” Malala said.
