AbakwaNandi bayingxenye yamaKalenjin, isizwe samaNilotic esihlala eMpumalanga Afrika . Isizwe samaNandi sihlala futhi sihlangana ngokusondelene futhi sihlobene nesizwe samaKipsigis . Ngokwesiko bahlala futhi basakha iningi ezindaweni eziphakeme zesifundazwe esasiyiRift Valley eKenya, endaweni namuhla eyiNandi County . Zikhuluma uNandi lwesigodi we ulimi Kalenjin . Ngaphambi komaphakathi nekhulu le-19, uNandi Chemwalindet (ip. Chemwalin noma uChemwal (pl. Chemwalek ) ngenkathi eminye imiphakathi ekhuluma Chemngal . Akucaci ukuthi la magama avela kuphi, yize emibhalweni yokuqala leli gama lakamuva lalihlotshaniswa ne- ngaal okusho ukuthi ikamela eTurkana futhi iziphakamiso zenze ukuthi igama lingaba "... libhekisele ekubolekeni, ngqo noma ngokungaqondile kwesiko lokusoka emakameleni agibele amaSulumane". Imithombo yakamuva ayenzi iziphakamiso ezifanayo noma izinkomba ezifanayo kulesi sikhundla. Igama elithi Nandi laqala ukusetshenziswa emuva maphakathi nekhulu le-19 leminyaka futhi lasetshenziswa kakhulu ngemuva kokunqotshwa kwe- Uasin Gishu kanye nomzila wabathengisi baseSwahili nabama-Arab. Leli gama kucatshangwa ukuthi lisuselwa ekufaneni kobudlova bamaqhawe maphakathi nawo-1800 kuya emikhubeni ye-cororant evuthayo eyaziwa ngokuthi mnandi ngesiSwahili . Abantu baseNandi bayingxenye yomfelandawonye wezinhlanga eziseningizimu-mpumalanga yeNilotic ezihlala ezindaweni eziphakeme zaseMpumalanga Afrika esifundeni sase-African Great Lakes esaziwa ngokuthi iKalenjin .