Mutheu 'Inyia' wa Katemi Ntheketha

Capt & Mrs Dishon  Mwanzia with kids Charles, Rose, James and Juliana heid by Grand grand mother Inyia Mutheu wa Katemi

It was in the late 80s about 1878. King Menelik ruled king of Shewa. The King using Amhara militias of shewa started Agar Magnat conquests expansionist wars expanding his territory Eastwards, Westwards, Northwards and Southwards. This subdued the tigrayans who ran out of food due to prolonged was. Some families migrated Southwards in search of pastures to as far as Kyanzavi. Great Grand Mother,  Inyia belonged to one of the families as a young girl who married Ntheketha as 26th Wife. She remained behind  after Ntheketha saved her family with cows and grains. With poor communication there was no proper link to maintain the relations. Inyia was of Ethiopian descent a Tigreyan! This is a story told to Ndungwa Mukene by Grand mum's Naumi and her mom Munene and collaborated by Uncle Simon Sila. The unknown story to most of the young siblings. Inyia was highly industrious and took responsibility of the fencing the farm at Kalala. She had her own food store and called it Ndunyu ya musyi or home market which had ripe bananas,and honey at all times for the family and visitors. She never sold the products and had no business. She too had a piece of land called Uyaoni [a wetland] where she planted sugar cane, yams and straw berries the piece had mango, oranges, lemon, banana, cassava and guava trees. She distributed free products to neighbor herders and all passing-by whenever she visited the place. Inyia was highly religious and attended AIC Sengani Church until she no longer had strength to walk there. She travelled to Entebbe Ugnanda, Lanet Nakuru and Nanyuki and babysat her grand children as they grew up during Capt Mwanzia military service. Mutheu was blessed with five children, a son and three daughters. Philip Sila, Mbatha, Wethe, Katunge and adopted three girls when their mother Inyia's Mweiwe  who was of Kikuyu ancestry died Muthamba, Betrice Yula and Wanza [ who settled at Mutitu wa ndei]. [The Elders gave her their blessings]. The family maintained close relationship with Philip Sila home being the main contact point. He took care of his mother into old age. His wife Naumi Nduume who was learned was always at hand to assist the larger family while she remained an official member of Christian cadet and life Oficial of Sengani AIC Church. Mutheu Talt the family her Ethiopian ancestral art of brewing coffee.

 She passed on peacefully in 1978 aged over 100 years and laid to rest at her Kalala home, Sengani, Matungulu Machakos.