This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
Published on November 9, 2019, a single mother in Lamu County, Kenya, has sparked a heated debate with her proposal to introduce a law that would compel men to marry at least three wives.
Alice Wambui Wangu, a 32-year-old single mother of one, believes that polygamy would help reduce infidelity and prostitution in the country. According to her, the ratio of women to men in Kenya is skewed in favour of women, leading to many women secretly approaching other people's husbands, resulting in attacks, hot water being poured on them, hands being cut, or even being killed.
Ms Wambui claims that introducing a law that would make it mandatory for men to marry not less than three wives would help address these issues. She also believes that polygamy would help raise the population in sparsely populated areas, such as Lamu County, which has a population of just 143,920 people, according to the 2019 Population and Housing Census.
However, not everyone agrees with Ms Wambui's proposal. Francis Waweru, a Lamu resident, opposes the idea, citing the Christian doctrine, which he believes prohibits men from marrying more than one wife. John Kilumo also expressed concerns, stating that it would be a challenge for most men to achieve a balance that would keep all wives happy, especially during tough economic times.
On the other hand, Mr Ahmed Suleiman, a Muslim, believes that the Muslim religion allows up to four wives, provided one is able to provide for their basic needs. He does not see a problem with the suggestion, provided those marrying multiple wives are in a position to satisfy all their basic needs.
