At its peak the kingdom covered an expansive area from Jinja in west to Naivasha in the East African Rift.

[1] The Wanga kingdom was a significant African empire and the most organized structure of government in pre-colonial Kenya politically, economically, and militarily.

Wabala, Wanga's appointed successor quarreled with his elder brother, Murono over succession rights.

Following his defeat, Murono crossed Nzoia River and established a separate centre near present-day Matungu around 1679–1706.

[9] During the reign of Nabongo Netya, land disputes lead to conflict between the Wanga and their neighbors like the Teso, Bukusu, Jougenya.

[10] Nabongo Netya is said to have struck an accord with the Uasin Gishu trading cattle and grazing land in exchange for Maasai military assistance.

Here, Nabongo Sakwa's main enemies included the Abanyala, and Ababukusu with whom the Wanga occasionally clashed over grazing land.

Earlier during the reign of Kweyu, Wanga Mukulu had been repulsed from extending her authority over Abanyala and their Abatsotso allies.

[13] Nabongo Mumia Shiundu's rule was heavily influenced by an alliance with Arab/Swahili slave traders and conflict with the neighbouring Luo peoples which escalated after the completion of the Uganda Railway by British colonisers.

[23] The prominence of the Wanga kingdom led to rapid territorial and political expansion by the British in the later years of the 20th century in their quest to conquer Kenya.

The British, in their later conquest of the region, found the centrally organized political and social structures attractive and supported them in order to get allies in the imposition of colonial rule.

Today Kakamega District is inhabited predominantly by Wanga people - one of 17 sub-ethnic groups of the Abaluyia of Western Kenya.