Born around 1910 – 1912 in Kimilili, Bungoma District, Masinde wa Nameme okhwa Mwasame was initiated into the Machego age-set.
By the early 1940s, he had risen to the rank of a junior elder within his community in Kimilili area, and become increasingly anti-colonial.
In 1944, he led a number of localised defiance campaigns against the colonial authorities, and was imprisoned many times as a result.
Upon Kenya's independence, Masinde was detained by the government of Jomo Kenyatta for almost 15 years.
Elija Masinde remained defiant and continually questioned post independence Kenya's government, especially on the issue of land distribution and citizen rights.