Polygamy is described as the practice of marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, sociologists call this polygyny. When a woman is married to more than one husband at a time, it is called polyandry.
In 2014, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a controversial marriage bill legalizing polygamy. The Presidential approval brought 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.
So, is this viable? Does it work? If so, how does it work? Should the first wife give her approval? What happens when a third wife comes into the picture? Would men embrace polyandry as polygyny? Are they embracing of the idea?
Having multiple wives is common in about a quarter of the world’s nations, predominantly conservative male-dominated communities in Africa and Muslim-majority countries where it is part of traditional or religious customs.
But campaigners say most polygamous marriages in Kenya, and other African nations, are fuelling poverty, with husbands neglecting one family over another, leaving thousands of women and children impoverished and easy prey for exploitation.
Almost 1.5 million Kenyans, about 10% of the married population, are in a polygamous marriage, according to latest data from the Kenya Population and Housing Census.
But women’s rights groups say this a gross underestimate as most of these marriages are customary and not registered. Worse still, many women are unaware they are even sharing a husband as he may keep them in separate homes without informing them.
A Thomson Reuters Foundation based in Nairobi reveals that despite growing modernity and awareness of women’s rights, polygamy remains legal in most African nations and is prevalent across society. From farmers to senior politicians, such as former South African President Jacob Zuma who has had six wives.
But for polygamy to work, wives must buy into the practice and the husband should have enough income to look after all of them and their children. Yet this is not always the case.
Most women do not have a say in the decision to have a co-wife, not mentioning the emotional implications of such a decision. In Kenya, a wife’s consent is not legally required for husbands to marry again, and men are often unable to adequately provide for them.
Campaigners for women rights have in the past, as they are now, called for the government to enforce a law to register customary polygamous marriages, so that women would have official evidence of the marriage. Legal proof of marriage would make it easier for them to claim child maintenance or the husband’s assets or property.
“Criminalization isn’t always the answer. “If the law is implemented and women are given their entitlements, things will slowly change and greater social awareness will eventually see polygamy dying out,” said Judy Gitau, a women rights lawyer from the charity Equality Now.
It is however, equally important for women in these marriages to understand their rights within the marriage. It would also hold a conversation with the men, to bring to an understanding the effects of a second family on their first. And this includes striking a balance for the two families. Or more.
Good article…
I do not think polyandry is practical in our kenyan setting. Maybe in a few years a few years with the sugar mummy vibe men will choose to submit and look up to the woman to provide.
But so long as the man provides, polygny is the only direction