SUMMARY

The Luhya (also known as Luyia, Luhia, Abaluhya or Avaluhya) is an ethnic group primarily located in Kenya. Small groups of Luhyas are also present in neighbouring areas in Tanzania and Uganda. The Luhya tribe is a compilation of an estimated seventeen pre-existing tribes and came into existence in the late 1930s and early 1940s in order to increase inter-tribal organisation and to correspond better to the colonial administration in Kenya. It was created by young Luhyas in cooperation with the British colonisers. Today, while considered both from within and from the outside as one tribe, the sub-tribes still exist and play an important role, notably in intra-Luhya power struggles.

The Luhya is, together with the Luo, the second largest ethnic group in Kenya, counting about 5.4 million people, which correspond to 14% of Kenya´s total population. The group´s homeland is the Western Province, a densely populated but also very fertile area in western Kenya, bordering Uganda and the Rift Valley. The high population density affects the traditional farming economy with plots getting smaller with each generation. Despite traditionally being agriculturalists, the Luhya are today also engaged in other parts of Kenya´s economy. Luhya are Christians, even though Christianity is often combined with elements of traditional African religions. The historical origin of the people today known as Luhya is contested. According to their own oral tradition, they originate from today´s Egypt, while many anthropologists believe that they took part in the greater Bantu migration out of East-Central Africa around 1000 BC.

The Luhya have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.