Emergence of Abagusii Diaspora in Kenya’s South Rift, 1895- 2007: Opportunities and Challenges

Migration is a spatial phenomenon involving movement of people between distinct places, locations imbued with meaning and power and it has been there since time immemorial. It specifically refers to people changing their places of residence, where they live on a habitual basis, embracing not only their actual physical structures, but also in some sense the wider community in which they live. This study focused on the Abagusii migration patterns specifically to the South Rift (SR), Kericho County. It acknowledges the fact that their emergence in the diaspora just like any other ethnic group in Kenya, came to existence in the pre-colonial, colonial and post-independence period. The main aim of the study was to establish their movement, settlement, challenges, and opportunities they encountered in SR between 1895 and 2007. This research addressed the emergence of Abagusii before colonialism. The study focused on the period from 1895 because it was the genesis of the British colonial policies, which witnessed forceful movement of not only the Abagusii, but also other Kenyan communities. The study adopted qualitative research design where non-probability sampling techniques (such as opportunity sampling, snowball sampling, and purposive sampling) were used. Content analysis was done from documents in the Kenya National Archives (KNA) that were corroborated with information from field observations and interview schedules. Keywords: Migrations, Abagusii, Diaspora, South Rift DOI: 10.7176/HRL/50-03 Publication date: November 30th 201