Ngamini or Mangi Ngamini Ndesserua Kombe (c.1870–1890s), also called Mangi Ngamini of Machame (Mangi Ngamini in Kichagga; Mfalme Ngamini in Swahili), was a well-known monarch of the Chaga in the last half of the 19th century. He was the son of Mangi Ndesserua of Machame and a king of the Chagga. Mangi means king in Kichagga.
Rise to power When Mangi Ngamini ascended to power in the 1870s, he inherited a challenging situation from his father. As the eldest son of Ndesserua's second wife, Kekwe, Ngamini had a legitimate claim to the throne. His half-brother, Makota, the eldest son of Ndesserua's first wife, had been previously disinherited by their father. Kekwe held significant influence, unmatched until Ndesserua's marriage to his youngest wife, Nuya, in his later years.
Ngamini's reign lasted approximately ten to fifteen years, concluding by the late 1880s. He is historically noted as a benevolent leader, characterized by his politeness and nonviolent demeanor, which starkly contrasted with the leadership style of his predecessor. Despite his disposition, Ngamini faced considerable challenges in maintaining peace during his tenure.
Mangi Sina of Kibosho's invasions and raids During his reign, Machame faced significant challenges due to frequent and violent raids from Kibosho to the east. The region was under the leadership of Mangi Sina, recognized as one of the most formidable warrior chiefs in Kilimanjaro's history. Mangi Sina had a prior acquaintance with Machame, having lived in the household of Ndesserua, where he adopted some of Ndesserua's stringent practices while evading his adversaries prior to his ascension as the mangi of Kibosho.
The situation escalated dramatically when Mangi Sina initiated a series of retaliatory raids against Machame, resulting in extensive devastation. This campaign of vengeance was rooted in a historical grievance dating back approximately forty years, when Mangi Rengua of Machame orchestrated the massacre of defenseless initiates from Kibosho at Kinduchi. The raids by Mangi Sina represented a significant and violent response to this long-standing enmity.
Mangi Ngamini experienced an early indication of the challenges ahead following his appointment as Mangi. Shortly after his ascension, a delegation of Kibosho men, led by Ndana, an emissary of Mangi Sina, arrived in Foo bearing gifts of cloth. However, it was later revealed that only one bundle contained actual cloth; the remainder consisted of veiled bundles of eleusine husks. The Kibosho delegation conveyed the news of Mangi Sina's death and requested the Machame to accompany them back to Kibosho to assist in the installation of a new Mangi.
The Machame people welcomed the news of Sina's demise with celebration, viewing the occasion as an opportunity to reclaim their women and children, who had been taken by Sina during a prior raid on Machame during the reign of Ndesserua. Additionally, they aimed to recover stolen cattle. In response to the call to action, Mangi Ngamini opposed the expedition, declaring, "None of you shall leave here except by stepping over my body." He lay on the ground in an attempt to prevent his followers from proceeding, warning that none would return if they continued. Despite his protest, Muro, son of Mende, along with other prominent figures, labeled Ngamini a coward and encouraged the populace to embark on the journey.
Consequently, Muro and a significant portion of the Machame leadership, including the masumba, njama, and the most skilled warriors, set out for Sina's homestead, Udileya, in Kibosho.
Contrary to reports of his death, Mangi Sina was alive and feigning illness to mislead the Machame people. To create the illusion of his demise, he had tied bull's testicles around his own, which produced a foul odor that contributed to the belief in his condition. The unpleasant smell emanating from his residence, erroneously identified as that of a deceased body, was actually due to a dead goat placed there intentionally for the ruse.
Upon the arrival of the Machame, Sina signaled his men to launch an attack by firing a gun into the air. This assault resulted in the deaths of several Machame individuals, while others fled in disarray, becoming trapped in a swamp near the Isie River. This location subsequently became known as "Malala," meaning "Bloody Battle." The event is historically referred to as the massacre of Masengen (Kimachame) or Masenjala (Kibosho).
The survivors of this initial attack were pursued by Sina's forces to the Weru Weru River. The following day, Sina's men conducted further raids in Wari and Foo within Machame, killing any men they encountered and capturing cattle, women, and children. Some of these captives were sold to Arab traders for enslavement upon Sina's return to Kibosho.Dundas, Charles. Kilimanjaro and Its People: A History of Wachagga, their Laws, Customs and Legends, Together with Some. Routledge, 2012.
The raid conducted by Mangi Sina is regarded as one of the most significant epics in the histories of both Machame and Kibosho. This event is particularly notable due to Sina's strategic use of deception. Had Rengua of Machame attacked the defenseless young initiates of Kibosho at Kinduchi from a position of advantage, Sina responded by cunningly luring the Machame into a trap that led to their downfall.
The Machame, like other Chagga clans, were deeply affronted by the notion of being so easily outmaneuvered. Despite the announcement of Sina's death by German authorities on June 6, 1897, skepticism persisted among the Machame for many years. They believed that the Sina they feared was merely employing his well-known tactics once again.
The Kibosho people, viewing the Machame as inferior fighters, took particular pleasure in the deceptive nature of the raid, referred to as "malembo" in Kibosho, rather than focusing solely on the martial aspect. To this day, Kibosho commemorates the event through song, celebrating their triumph with lyrics that reference the trickery involved: "We played a trick on you, and the river Malala ran with your blood."
Ndessarua's Death The aftermath of the battle and subsequent sacking of Machame revealed the ironic circumstance surrounding the deaths of two significant figures: Ndesserua and Sina. It was disclosed that Ndesserua had been deceased for some time and had, prior to his death, invited Sina to attack Machame with the intent of annihilating its inhabitants and seizing their cattle. This revelation added a layer of irony to the events, as it highlighted the contrasting situations of the two leaders: Sina pretended to be dead and had his death falsely announced, while Ndesserua's actual death was concealed.
Only a select few individuals were aware of Ndesserua's true status. Those closest to him, reportedly responsible for spreading the news of his death, included two or three confidantes who had buried him in the hut of his youngest wife, Nuya. Among those likely aware of the truth were Nassua, the prominent njama (warrior), the widow Nuya herself, and Ndesserua's half-brother, Karawa, along with his kinsman, Muro, son of Mende.
The dissemination of strategically timed leaks regarding the motivations behind the Machame's defeat is notable. One interpretation suggests that these announcements aimed to uplift the morale of the Machame by attributing their loss to a grave offense committed by their former leader, Ndesserua. This was particularly relevant as it highlighted the division among the Machame, with some supporting the expedition to Kibosho while others, led by Ngamini, opposed it.
It is plausible that the small, influential group responsible for the announcement harbored ambitions to usurp the kingship from Ngamini. Additionally, this faction posited that Ndesserua's previous invitation to Sina had been a contributing factor to the earlier victory of the Warusha over the Machame. Ultimately, the underlying motivation for the leaks appears to be twofold: to bolster the spirits of the Machame and to lend credence to Ndesserua's purported invitation to Sina, framing it as a customary practice.Ekemode, Gabriel Ogunniyi. German rule in north-east Tanzania, 1885-1914. University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies (United Kingdom), 1973.
During the 1880s, the Machame experienced three additional incursions by the forces of Mangi Sina. In a manner reminiscent of their previous flight from internal discord under their chief, Ndesserua, many Machame sought refuge to the west of the Kikafu River to escape the external threat posed by Kibosho. This migration resulted in significant disruptions for the communities residing west of the Kikafu, contributing to a fluid demographic situation in the Kikafu basin, unlike the more stable populations found in other regions of Kilimanjaro.
Those who remained on the eastern bank, particularly in the areas of Foo, Wari, Nuu, and Nronga, resorted to digging boltholes or seeking refuge in caves located within the gorge of the Kikafu River and the deeper gorge of the Semira River. Each time Sina's forces traversed the central route, they set fire to homes, captured inhabitants, and seized the few remaining cattle, unimpeded by any opposition. The attackers systematically located the caves and boltholes where individuals were hiding, employing tobacco smoke to drive them out.
Mangi Ngamini initially fled across the Kikafu River with his followers, subsequently returning to assert his rule before fleeing again. Although he had the option to seek forgiveness from Mangi Sina, Ngamini chose not to do so. This decision, coupled with his efforts to rally local support, allowed him to maintain his position as Mangi, albeit intermittently, over the territories east of the Kikafu while effectively governing areas west of the river as well.
Ngamini first settled in Uswa, located west of the Kikafu, before relocating to Nkwatawa in Nguni, where he lived with his uncle Lyamari, a former rival of Ndesserua. The charred remains of homesteads in Foo, including the ruins of Ngamini's own residence, along with other signs of turmoil, indicated a recent raid by Kibosho forces. However, historical records, including accounts from geographer Hans Meyer, confirm that Ngamini was still ruling and living modestly in Uswa as late as November 21 and 22, 1889.Meyer, Hans. Across East African Glaciers: an account of the first ascent of Kilimanjaro. G. Philip & son, 1891.
During the course of the raids, the formidable Njama Nassua, along with his protégé Shangali, the young son of Nuya, sought refuge in the forest above Foo. Meanwhile, Nuya herself took shelter across the Semira gorge in Nronga, where her family resided.
In pursuit of his political ambitions regarding the Machame kingship, Nassua opted to negotiate a separate peace with Mangi Sina following the third raid. Having previously served as an emissary to Sina during the reign of Ndesserua, he had developed a personal friendship with him. Notably, Nassua's complex feelings toward the successive Mangis, Ndesserua and Ngamini, led him to share strategic information with Sina, including the most effective routes for raiding Machame's hiding places.
The devastated condition of Foo and Nassua’s subsequent encounter with Mangi Ngamini in Uswa are vividly chronicled by Hans Meyer, a geographer who was visiting Machame during this tumultuous period.Meyer, Hans. Across East African Glaciers: an account of the first ascent of Kilimanjaro. G. Philip & son, 1891.
Nassua journeyed to Kibosho accompanied by two of his most esteemed men: Miri, son of Ngassi from the Shoo clan, and Karenga, son of Menja from the Nkya clan. As symbols of peace, he presented a young black ewe, a boy and a girl, black beads, and a masale leaf. The girl, named Muri, was the beautiful daughter of Ndesserua, born to one of his secondary wives. Muri was later gifted to the Swahili trader Funde by Mangi Sina.