This archive report was first published on 20 October 2019.
As the economy continues to struggle, some desperate Kenyan men have turned to a shocking means of earning extra income: offering their wives to rich foreign tourists.
According to reports, these men have been hooking up their spouses with wealthy visitors who are looking for companionship during their stay in Kenya.
One such individual is James Kimani, a tour guide who has been involved in this business with his wife since August 2018.
Kimani explained that the arrangement started when a tourist asked him to find him a woman to spend time with during his stay in Kenya. He discussed the matter with his wife, who agreed to pose as the tourist's sister.
"Yes, I have a nice, bubbly woman. She is dark-skinned, well-endowed and naughty. She is my younger sister, very single and well behaved. I can bring her tomorrow," Kimani reportedly told the tourist.
Kimani's wife has been earning up to Sh40,000 monthly from this arrangement, which has been ongoing for two months. Despite the unconventional nature of their arrangement, Kimani insists that they still love each other and that his wife is the breadwinner of the family.
"Why should I make another woman rich yet my wife is jobless?" he poses.
Local authorities have confirmed that this practice is indeed happening along the Kenyan coast. Kilifi County Police Commander Patrick Okeri revealed that there have been cases of women having multiple husbands, including foreign nationals.
Paul Adhuoch, the head of Trace Kenya, a child rights organization, has also spoken out about the issue, highlighting the involvement of underage children in sex tourism along the coast. He estimates that over 13,000 minors engage in sexual activities annually, resulting in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
