Simplicity is the order of the day.
A Legacy is the foundation ...
… on which we build ourselves, but it all starts with a dream and a vision……Kingoos dream and vision was to emancipate, equip, unity and empower every man, woman, boy and girl of the Sebei district, to know their worth and value. That dream and vision came at a cost. Welcome to the world of Sebei’s 1st Kingoo.
The Sebei are few in number ...
… and live on Mount Elgon and the nearby plains close to Uganda’s border with Kenya. Their traditional political organization was decentralized. No individual could command obedience from all Sebei. The initial district (Kapchorwa District) was a backwater county of Bugisu during the colonial period and shared in policies producing modernization only to a small extent until a road was built across the mountain in the late 1 940s. There were few missions, few schools and few means of earning a cash income.
Meanwhile their neighbours, the Bagisu, had several schools and grew high quality
Arabica coffee in a scheme introduced by the colonial government. In
addition Bagisu were steadily migrating to Sebei areas to grow coffee.
The majority of teachers in Sebei primary schools were Bagisu.
Sebei political consciousness began in the 1950s and quickly
intensified in response to the introduction of the Bugisu district
council in 1956. Sebei political leaders felt that the interests of
their people were being neglected by Bagisu, who controlled the council,
and that independence would only make matters worse. They complained
that few Sebei were employed by the district administration or the
cooperative union. When the central government insisted on reduction of
services to Bugisu to cut down a deficit created by a district council
resolution to lower tax assessments but not social services, Sebei
county lost an expected ambulance and a new road. The Sebei felt they
were being “punished” for the Bagisu councilors mistakes.
A branch of the UPC was formed in 1956, but the ethnic movement did not take root until 1 960, when Yovan Maigut
Chemonges became its leader. He had served for fifteen years with the
Kenya Police and was well known in the district. Through his flamboyant
behavior and his ability to articulate Sebei grievances, Chemonges
became a charismatic leader unifying the Sebei for the first time.
Toward the end of 1 960 Chemonges set up a road block at Sipi and
stopped the car of an assistant district commissioner. Standing on top
of the car with a spear and shield, he demanded a separate district for
his people. His subsequent arrest and fine aroused the Sebei. The Sebei
leaders then announced that no further taxes would be paid to Bugisu
district but would be
collected by the county council. No Bagisu officials were permitted
to enter the country. Bagisu primary school teachers were driven out.
The Bugisu district council responded by suspending all services to the
county in April, 1 961 .
The dispute was then transferred to the national arena. Chemonges was
elected to the Legislative Council in 1961 as a UPC candidate.
However, the DP government under Kiwanuka agreed to make Sebei a
separate district in late 1961 and Chemonges won the 1 962 election as a
member of the DR The nearly identical vote totals for Chemonges and his
two Bagisu opponents in the two elections, in spite of changing party
labels, indicate that politics in the district revolved around the
separate district issue. When the UPC/ KY Coalition took power,
Chemonges crossed the aisle again and campaigned
for the UPC candidates in the district council elections of 1963.
Sebei’s ethnic demands were officially consolidated when its district
council created the position of constitutional head, called “Kingoo”.
Chemonges was the unanimous choice to fill this position and received
three votes in the election for the presidency of Uganda. Henceforth,
Chemonges would be known as Kingoo of
Sebei. The fruits of district status came to
Sebei in the form of a new hospital (Kapchorwa) and a senior
secondary school (Tegeres). Chemonges had sufficient influence to gain
government approval for the creation of the Sebei Elgon Co-operative
Union, which was curved out of the Bugisu Union. Not surprisingly there
was intimidation of Bagisu farmers living in the district who refused to
join the new union. Many took refuge in Bugisu.
In 1967 the Co-operative Officer reported to the Sebei district team
that because of heavy transportation expenses, the Sebei alone could not
produce sufficient coffee to permit the union to break even.
Nevertheless, members of the union were not prepared to accept the
larger Bugisu Co-operative Union’s offer to amalgamate and give ten
administrative posts to Sebei Union members. In addition to increased
ethnic prestige, these new projects and the staffing of the new district
administration meant many jobs for the men of Sebei. Achievement of a
separate district meant satisfaction of the major goal of Sebei
subnationalism.
Source: The shrinking political arena
Article posted by Beatrice Chemonges
Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) - A Tribute in Remembrance (1925 -1966) ...
… &
(1966-2017)-; It is befitting that we pay
tribute to the Hon. Yovan Maigut
Chemonges (Kingoo) in remembrance and in recognition of his role and contribution to the nation and specifically to the Sabiny Community. He will continue to be remembered as a Ugandan Nationalist, freedom fighter, Member of Parliament, a man who embodied the aspirations, championed the rights of the Sabiny Community alongside his fellow Sabiny compatriots and as the Constitutional Head of Sebei District (Kingoo) meaning
King of Sebei. Today the 25th January
2017 marks 51 years since the demise of Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges. His health detoriated while in Kapchorwa and he was referred to Mbale District Hospital considering the poor health facilities in Sebei region at the time. He was admitted at Mbale District Hospital for a few days but his health condition did not significantly improve.
A decision was made to transfer him to Mulago National
Referral Hospital. It was on the night of
25th January 1966 that the Hon. Yovan
Maigut Chemonges passed on at Mulago
National Referral Hospital on the 6th floor (VIP Section) allegedly due to high blood pressure at the age of 41 years (1 925 to 1966). During his admission at Mulago
National Referral Hospital, the Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) was visited by many among them the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda Dr. Apollo Milton Obote to wish him a speedy recovery. While the cause of his death has been widely declared as resulting from high blood pressure, this has and still is disputed by a section of people including but not limited to some family members and some MPs of the 1st Uganda Parliament. Following his death, a Parliamentary motion was passed to eulogies the Hon. Yovan Maigut
Chemonges. During his eulogy by the MPs, suspicion and doubt was cast on the results of the postmortem as to the cause of his death. On account of their dissatisfaction, a section of the MPs demanded and insisted that a fresh and independent investigation (postmortem) be carried out to establish the “real cause” of his death in order to put to rest their doubts and concerns. This however was not to be the case, as the demand for a fresh and independent investigation was never carried out, thus leaving room for further suspicion and speculation of foul play. It is believed that the Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges’ (Kingoo) high profile and illustrious career as a brilliant and charismatic national and community leader created many enemies and this may have had a hand in his death. Following his death the then Prime Minister Milton Obote summoned Parliament and on his own behalf and on behalf of Government and the Nation gave a moving speech to all Members of Parliament in honor and memory of the Hon. Yovan Maigut
Chemonges (Kingoo), where he described him as ” a sincere, courageous and reliable person and leader”. On 27th January 1 966, the Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) was finally laid to rest at his official residence in Kapchorwa District. He was accorded a state funeral befitting a nationalist, a people’s representative and leader with the Ugandan flag flying half mast nationwide for three days. His funeral was well attended by a multitude including national leaders (religious, political, civil and military leaders) and representation from regional leaders. Nearly 1 0,000 people were in attendance.
We celebrate and pay tribute to the Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) for his role and contribution to National, Regional and Community affairs. The Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges will also be remembered as one whom though unsuccessful, contested for the position of
President and Head of State of the
Republic of Uganda along with Sir Edward
Mutesa, the Kabaka of Buganda and the
Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Wilberforce
Nadiope in the 4th October 1964
Presidential election. Both the Hon. Yovan
Maigut Chemonges and the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Wilberforce Nadiope lost to Sir Edward Mutesa, the Kabaka of Buganda to become the First President and Head of State of the Republic of Uganda. At Uganda’s independence (1962) the Queen of England remained the Head of State of Uganda, while Dr. Milton Obote was the Prime Minister. On the ground she was represented by the Governor-General, Sir Walter Coutts. This arrangement was temporary on account of a demand that the Queen of England should relinquish her position as the Head of State of Uganda and consequently be replaced by a
Ugandan. As a result an election procedure was developed on how to elect a President
and Head of State of Uganda to replace the Queen of England. It was agreed that a position of Constitutional Heads be created from whom the candidates for position of President and Head of State of the Republic of Uganda to replace the Queen of England would be elected. The position of Constitutional Heads was created and filled. Constitutional Heads were the Kings or Cultural Heads of the various communities or districts of Uganda, officially reorganized by the government of Uganda through Parliament. Three people in their capacities as Constitutional Heads of Districts and communities offered themselves as contenders for position of President and Head of State of the Republic of Uganda to replace the Queen of England. These included Sir Edward Mutesa, Kabaka of Buganda, Sir William
Wilberforce Nadiope, Kyabazinga of
Busoga and Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges, the Constitutional Head of Sebei District (Kingoo of Sebei). The electorate in this regard where District Councils of the various Districts of Uganda including Sebei District Council. In this respect therefore, elections for President and Head of State of Uganda to replace the Queen of England were conducted on 4th October 1964. Following this election, Sir Edward Mutesa, Kabaka of Buganda emerged as the winner, defeating Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) and the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Wilberforce Nadiope to become the First
President and Head of State of the Republic of Uganda. In this Presidential election (1 964), the Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) obtained only 3 votes from all the District Councils of Uganda and all the 3 votes were from the
Sebei District Council. Sir Edward Mutesa,
Kabaka of Buganda won the 1964
Presidential election partly because he had
the full support and backing of the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Milton Obote and the UPC
Party. This support was based on the
Kabaka Yeka (KY) and Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) alliance that the Kabaka of Buganda would support Milton Obote to become Prime Minister of Uganda and later the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Milton Obote and the UPC Party would in turn support Sir Edward Mutesa, Kabaka of Buganda to be President and Head of
State. It was also intended to have
Buganda more involved in the politics of
Uganda, following Buganda’s intention in 1 961 to separate from Uganda. Had it been that Prime Minister Milton Obote and the UPC Party, had fully supported and backed Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo), it is clear that the outcome of the 4th October 1964 elections would have been different with Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) becoming the first
President and Head of State of post
independence Uganda. It is my strong and well considered view that Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) holds a special place in the history of the Sabiny Community, Kalenjin and Uganda at large. For anyone to write or to discuss the history of the Sabiny Community and Uganda at large without mentioning or making reference to the late Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo), reflecting his role, contribution, and participation will either be dishonest or in pursuit of undermining and discrediting the legacy of the man and a history of a people. It is only fair to the Sabiny Community that the late Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) be reorganized and given is due place in Sebei and Uganda’s History as a people’s representative, freedom fighter and Ugandan Nationalist. This year Hon. Yovan Maigut Chemonges (Kingoo) would be 92 years old (1925-2017). Thank you @ George Toskin