Kenyan female lawmaker urges men in her county to marry many wives

A female lawmaker in Kenya, Gathoni Wa Muchomba representing Kiambu County,  has urged men from the region to embrace polygamy so as to increase the region’s population.

 

Wa Muchomba made the remarks during the launch of Mama Care Rehabilitation Centre in Kiambaa Constituency on Monday, April 2.

We give birth to these children and we do not want to own up to them. If you are a man from Kikuyu community and you can sustain five wives,  have them,  and if you are a man and you are in a position to bring up many children, do it, ” she said.

Wa Muchomba said dwindling marriage numbers in the region have resulted in a low birthrate, which has, consequently, lead to a stagnated population.

The lawmaker encouraged men that have the financial capacity to care for more than a single wife to go ahead with the polygamous lifestyle and marry as many women as they can.

Wa Muchomba also urged the church to acknowledge polygamous marriages.

She went further to blame the act of irresponsibility exhibited by a section of men in Kiambu on alcohol. According to her, alcohol clouds the judgement of a man and so any man that gives in much to it will not show any sign of care to his family and children.

In Kenya, it is not against the law to marry more than one wife. In the year 2014, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a controversial marriage bill legalising polygamy.

It brings civil law, where a man was only allowed one wife, into line with customary law, where some cultures allow multiple partners.

Controversy surrounded an amendment to the bill, supported by many male MPs, allowing men to take more wives without consulting existing spouses. Traditionally, first wives are supposed to give prior approval.

The law stipulates that a wife is entitled to an equal share of whatever the couple acquired during their marriage but in the case of multiple partners it is going to be difficult to determine what each spouse is entitled to if one of them divorces or their husband dies