Historicizing Social-Cultural Practices Influencing Widows’ Lived Experiences Among the Bukusu of Bungoma County, Kenya Since 1800

According to the United Nations Statistics (2020), over 258 million women are widowed globally, with a high prevalence among elderly populations. More specifically, among the Bukusu, widowhood is prevalent and is marked with a sequence of meaningful traditional rites and rituals in mourning the dead spouse and reaffirming family and communal bonds. This research aims to historicize the social and cultural practices and their impact on the widows’ experiences among the Bukusu community in Bungoma County. The specific objectives of the study are; to trace the traditional practices and their effect on widows among the Bukusu in Bungoma County 1800-1894, explore colonial policies and their influence on the lives of widows among Bukusu of Bungoma County 1895-1963, to evaluate the effectiveness of post-colonial initiatives in addressing the rights of widows among Bukusu of Bungoma County since 1964. The study is grounded in Symbolic Interactionism and Feminist theory. The study employed a historical research design that critically analyzed the evolution of widowhood practices and the socio-cultural values that have shaped the Bukusu widows’ experiences over time. The target population for this study included widows in Bungoma County, alongside key informants such as local chiefs, women’s groups, clergy, and community leaders. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus groups discussions, and archival data. Respondents were identified through purposive and snowball sampling. Data was analyzed qualitatively to help identify patterns and themes in the experiences of widows. The study found that among the Bukusu community between 1800 and 1894, widow inheritance, commonly referred to as levirate marriage, was a deeply entrenched cultural practice designed to maintain social cohesion, family lineage, and property continuity within the clan. The study also found that colonial land registration systems across Africa disrupted indigenous land tenure arrangements, institutionalizing gender inequality in ways that continue to shape access to land and inheritance. In addition, the study found that post-independence governments often reproduced colonial institutions rather than dismantling them. Customary law, when dominant, could override widows’ rights, especially in the absence of male children or formal documentation (like a will or title deed). The study concluded that the trajectory of widowhood among the Bukusu of Bungoma County reveals a layered history of shifting cultural, legal, and moral frameworks that have profoundly shaped the lived experiences of widows from the 1800s to the present. This study recommends that there is a need for sustained, grassroots civic education campaigns delivered in local languages that inform communities, especially widows and elders, about women’s legal entitlements regarding property, inheritance, and protection against eviction.