I'm not sure if hotlinking is acceptable, but here is an Ethiopian Imperial Guard sword.
The ivory work on the handle is quite similar to other works in bone in the coastal region, including Tanzania. In Tanzania you also have a brittish tie.
It would make sense to make a local copy of an important symbol, traded along the coast. Or, perhaps an Askari connection?
Just guesses, I agree that it also could be west africa, but something points me to the trading routes of the east.
