# Mbegha

Mbegha (c. 1700s – c.1750s), also known as Simbe Mwene, (Mwene Mbegha in Shambaa), (Mfalme Mbegha, in Swahili) was the first king also known the "Lion King" ( Simba Mwene in Kisambaa) of the Shambaa people of Shambaa Kingdom, in modern-day western Tanga Region in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. King Mbegha lived during the first half of the 18th century after his expulsion from the Nguru Mountains. While his existence is undisputed among historians, his biography is mainly based on oral traditions. Numerous legends have made him a mythic hero.

## Origin story

Mbegha was a hunter renowned for using dogs to hunt wild pigs in Ngulu, south of Shambaai. He was denied his inheritance by his Zigula lineage, who claimed he was a kigego, a being considered mystically dangerous, due to cutting his upper teeth first as an infant, which they believed caused the deaths of his kinsmen. Consequently, Mbegha fled at night and sought refuge in Kilindi, where he formed a blood partnership with a chief's son. During a hunting expedition, the chief's son was killed, prompting Mbegha to avoid returning to Kilindi. Instead, he ventured through the bush, living in caves and makeshift camps while continuing his hunting.
Eventually, Mbegha crossed the Pangani River and resided in a cave on the southern escarpment of the mountains near Ziai. When the women of Ziai noticed smoke from his fire while collecting firewood, their husbands investigated. Mbegha assured them of his peaceful intentions and offered meat as a gift, which the people of Ziai reciprocated with gifts of starch. His generosity and hunting prowess earned him a warm welcome from the Shambaa, who took him to Bumbuli. There, he successfully hunted many wild pigs and was given a wife in gratitude. Subsequently, people from Vugha sought his assistance, and he eradicated the wild pig population there as well.$^{:73}$
Mbegha also became known for his skills in dispute arbitration, helping parties resolve conflicts amicably. One night near Vugha, at Kihitu, a lion attacked cattle in an outdoor enclosure. Mbegha intervened with his dogs and spear, killing the lion. The following morning, the Shambaa, impressed by his bravery and leadership, decided to appoint him as the chief of Vugha. He became known as a lion slayer after killing a lion on the way to their village. The grateful farmers gave him wives from each major clan and the respective firstborn sons were placed in charge of all clans, thereby also forging regional unity and forming the first Shambaa Kingdom with Mbegha as their king.$^{:73}$

## Mbegha's route

The traditions largely concur on the path taken by Mbegha from Ngulu to Shambaai and his movements within Shambaai. He began in Ngulu, traveled east to Kilindi, and crossed the Pangani River at Maulwi. From there, he followed the present-day railway line northwest to Makuyuni, then moved northeast to Vuruni, where the plains form an indentation in the mountains. He ascended to Leopard’s Cave (Mpanga ya Shuwi) just below Ziai. Subsequently, he proceeded to Bumbuli and then to Vugha. Upon retiring from public life, Mbegha resided at Shashui, near modern-day Soni in Lushoto.$^{:73}$
The tradition also details significant groups Mbegha interacted with and the regions within Shambaai where his influence was most pronounced. Accounts of Mbegha's early impact mention Ziai, Manka, and Mlungui, forming an arc along the western side of the southern tip of Shambaai. After Ziai, he moved to Bumbuli, with various versions citing different place names. The traditions highlight Mbegha’s influence in the region surrounding Bumbuli, mentioning areas such as Shembekeza, Ngulwi, Funta, Tekwa, Ng’wavula, Balangai, Mpaau, Due, and Nkongoi. Some informants may have added village names to enhance credibility. The intention of the tradition is to illustrate Mbegha’s influence in the vicinity of Bumbuli, including relations with the Nango lineages there. In Vugha, Mbegha had close connections with the Wakina Tui lineage. He had at least one wife (mboho's daughter) and one son (Bughe) from Shambaai and traveled with companions from Zigula, belonging to the Wakina Mbiu lineage from the village of Kwa Mbiu.$^{:73}$

## Legacy

In Ngulu and during the transitional period in Zigula, Mbegha was associated with death. In certain narratives, Mbegha is identified as a "kigego" (plural: "vigego"), referring to a child whose upper teeth emerge before the lower ones or whose molars appear before the incisors. Twins are also considered vigego. Traditionally, a kigego was killed, as their presence was believed to cause the gradual death of lineage members unless they were expelled or killed. An informant explained that a kigego, due to atypical teething, was seen as transformed and not entirely human, akin to animals that exhibit irregular teething patterns. This belief extended to twins, equating them with animals, reflecting a perception of danger and otherness.$^{:73}$
Mbegha was perceived as a being between human and animal, his name resonating with the Colobus palliatus, a type of hairy monkey unique in Shambaai as a herbivorous species and the only monkey consumed there. An informant noted Mbegha's hairiness, linking it to Shambaa symbolism, where hair is often viewed as unclean and ritually hazardous. In Shambaa culture, prominent medical practitioners, who were also considered sorcerers, wore a distinctive lock of long hair (ushungi) as a symbol of their power. Mbegha was depicted as a wild man and witch in the early stages of his myth, further exemplified by the death of the chief’s son during a hunting expedition with him.
Despite his associations with danger, Mbegha was embraced by the Shambaa for his life-giving attributes. It is commonly stated in Shambaai that rain magic, crucial for fertility, originated with Mbegha. His magical abilities, tied to his wild nature and capacity to kill, also encompassed the power to bestow fertility upon Shambaai.
Mbegha was the founder of the Kilindi dynasty. Mbegha's son Buge grew to become the chief of Vugha and when Mbegha died, Buge succeeded him as king. Buge's son Kimweri ye Nyumbai ruled the kingdom at its greatest extent starting in 1815. After he died in1862, there was a succession struggle amongst his relatives, and in 1890 Germany began to colonise the former kingdom.