Senior Chief Njega wa Gioko: Land defender with 80 wives

Senior Chief Njega wa Gioko who ruled over Ndia and Mwea was born in 1865. He is legendary for marrying more than 80 wives, his ?ght with colonialists and today, Njegas area just before Kutus town in Kirinyaga County is named in his honour. Njega wa Gioko was a farmer.

Livestock farming formed part of his wealth, and indeed made him a wealthy person in the standards of the day. The Kikuyu had several age sets and age groups and/or regiments sets. Such included: Karanja (1759-1762), Kinuthia (1772-1775), Nduriri (1785-1788), Mugacho (17981801), Njoroge (1811-1814), Kang’ethe (1824-1827), Gitau (1837-1840), Manyaki (1850-1853), Kiambuthi (1863-1866), Watuke (1876-1879), Ngugi (1889-1892), Wakanene (1902-1905). Other ruling generations that obtained before they were dismantled by the colonial government included: Manjiri 1512 to 1546, Mamba 1547 to 1581, Tene 1582 to 1616, Agu 1617 to 1652, Manduti 1652 to 1686, Cuma 1687 to 1721, Ciira 1722 to 1756, Mathathi 1757 to 1791, Ndemi 1792 to 1826, Iregi 1827 to 1861, Maina 1862 to 1897, and Mwangi 1898 Njega’s Mwea When the colonialists came, they wanted to take some parts of the present day Kirinyaga county.