15/03/2025
History
Luanda Magere was a legendary figure whose name "Luanda" means rock in the Luo language. He was born in 1720 in Sidho, located in Kano, Muhoroni sub-county, Kisumu County, to Abonyo Omolo and Nyabera. Tragically, his mother died during his birth, and his grandmother raised him. His father was later killed in one of the frequent wars with the Lang’o (Nandi) when Luanda was a teenager. After this, Luanda gained supernatural powers, and his flesh was transformed into stone, making him invincible. Weapons such as arrows, spears, and clubs could not harm him. He became famous for his ability to single-handedly destroy entire Nandi armies.
At that time, the Luo’s traditional enemies were the Jo Lang’o (Kalenjins). Frustrated by their repeated defeats, the Nandi elders devised a plan to offer Maryane, a Nandi woman, to Luanda as a wife under the guise of a peace gesture. However, Maryane was secretly a spy, sent to uncover the source of Luanda’s strength.
Whenever Luanda fell ill, his first wife would nurse him back to health. One day, when she was away, Luanda became ill and instructed Maryane to cut his shadow with a knife and apply medicine there. To her surprise, Luanda’s shadow bled, revealing the secret of his power. That night, Maryane escaped back to her people and shared the secret with them.
The Nandi, confident in their newfound knowledge, launched a surprise attack on the Luo, despite the peace agreement. Luanda fought valiantly, killing many Nandi warriors, forcing them to retreat. However, as he was running, a Nandi warrior remembered the secret of Luanda's strength. From a hill, the warrior aimed a spear at Luanda’s shadow, striking it. Luanda collapsed and died, and his body transformed into a stone, which remains to this day and serves as a tourist attraction.
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