Kenya parliament passes polygamy measure, voice of america mar. Jul 10, 2010 according the findings of the kenya demographic and survey, 20082009, the likelihood of men and women embracing polygamy varies with regions and level of education. Aug 22, 2015 in kenya s countryside david tells us about his polygamy marriage with his two wives and their six children. Though it has existed in many cultures throughout the world, polygamy is still very prevalent in most islamic societies today. Polyandry is illegal in virtually every state in the world. Saharan africa have the possibility of becoming polygamous wives, and are. The research shows that polygamy has a structuring effect on productive activity and allocations within and across households. Polygamy rates appem to be 10\\er in fast, central and southern africa than in west africa. Polygamy bill allows kenyan men many wives swaziland. There have been supportive noises for polygamy in kenya, mostly from men. Some legislators even see polygamy as prowoman insofar as it protects unmarried mothers.
Polygamy existed all over africa as an aspect of culture or religion. The following documents are required to register any of the mentioned marriages. In fact, the country has produced ancentus akuku ogwela, who married wives, and, when. To better understand kenya s property laws and their impact on women, the iwhrc undertook intensive study of kenyan land, property, marriage, and divorce laws. University law center in partnership with fida kenya prepared this report, with accompanying annotated draft legislation, aimed to advance womens property rights in kenya. Kenya polygamy highest among pastoralists business daily. Even if people are thinking about the fact that south africa is by far one of the most. Polygamy has been a persistent problem in africa for the christian missions which brought the gospel to the contment.
Polygamy the practice of and reasons for polygamy sponsored link. Sometimes they are evicted after the new wife arrives and tensions arise. Polygamy breeds poverty for kenyan women and children. Regarding the statement whether polygamy is acceptable or not, majority of respondents 80% reported that they like to support it whereas only few respondents 20% are not agreed with the same statement. It sought to find out whether or not the practice of polygamy is contrary to biblical teachings. Apr 29, 2014 kenya s president uhuru kenyatta has signed into law a controversial marriage bill legalising polygamy. Early last year, gathoni wamuchomba, a female lawmaker from central kenya, reintroduced a controversial proposal asking rich men to consider polygamy because most of the married men were, she said, siring children with different women. Uhuru kenyatta signs marriage bill into law daily nation. Polygamy was common and widespread in the ancient world and widely practiced among some religious groups. Polygamy has been cited as a possible contributor to africas low savings rates tertilt, 2005, widespread incidence of hiv brahmbhatt et al. Kenya s president uhuru kenyatta has signed into law a controversial marriage bill legalising polygamy. Expanding recognition of foreign polygamous marriages.
Yalda hakim reports for bbc our world on how it is being received. In most of these states, polygyny is allowed and legally sanctioned. Apr 29, 2014 as in many parts of africa, polygamy is common among traditional communities in kenya, as well as in the countrys muslim community, which accounts for up to a fifth of the population. Polygamy and islam polygamy and islam 5 one point greatly in need of clarification is the fact that in the matter of marrying more than one woman, the initiative does not lie solely with any individual man. May 01, 2014 polygamy already is a common fixture among many cultures in kenya and in some other african countries. Polygamy and poverty are both widespread in africa.
May 01, 2014 the polygamy bill dividing kenya s christians churches call bill unbiblical, but christian politicians push it through. Kenyas president uhuru kenyatta said the new law defines various types of marriages. Civil, christian, customary, hindu and islamic marriages. In kenya s countryside david tells us about his polygamy marriage with his two wives and their six children. In africa, as already mentioned above, polygamy is a social practice used to ensure the continued status and survival of widows and orphans within an established family structure. Pdf polygamy is a phenomenon often associated with african people. How kenyans are reacting to legalised polygamy bbc news. To better understand kenyas property laws and their impact on women, the iwhrc undertook intensive study of kenyan land, property, marriage, and divorce laws. This practice is very common among the animist and the muslim communities. Demographic and health surveys in ghana 1988, senegal 1986, kenya 1989, and zimbabwe 198889 showed that the proportion of women in a 3. Marriage and divorce are not currently designed to accomodate more than 50% shares. Kenya s new marriage bill manages to both legalize the longstanding cultural practice of polygamy and to bolster the religious mantra that marriage is only. Apr 03, 2018 polygamy is common among traditional communities in kenya, as well as among the countrys muslim community.
According the findings of the kenya demographic and survey, 20082009, the likelihood of men and women embracing polygamy varies with regions and level of education. Apr 08, 2018 nationally, the average size was estimated at four members in the 201516 kenya integrated household budget survey kihbs, which was a decline from 5. The study was concerned with the biblical understanding of polygamy. Though polygamy has been a divisive issue, the early missionary societies were remarkably united on their common approach to.
Chewa people in kenya songs are sung to the effect that she who. The trend over the past century has been toward limiting polygamy. For example in senegal there are almost 47% of the marriages where they feature more than one woman. Martha bailey, principal researcher, professor beverley baines, coprincipal researcher and professor bita amani, coprincipal researcher of queens university at kingston. Polygamy is common among traditional communities in kenya, as well as among the countrys muslim community. The study also sought to find out the effects of polygamy as they relate to the individuals perception in reference to the sda policy and practice. Cohabitation, marriage and remarriage patterns in africa. Polygamy is one form of marriage, monogamy another. Polygamy is the biggest contributor to poverty as most men who get into it cannot afford it and it is the women and children who suffer most, said teresa omondiadeitan, executive director of the federation of women lawyers in kenya. Pdf polygamy the marriage of one man to several women has been. Some societies have introduced a gradual reduction.
In parliament, the proposed 2014 polygamy bill had initially given a wife the right to veto the husbands choice, but male members of parliament overcame party divisions to push through a text that dropped this clause. Factors on polygamy 295 the organization of the remaining part of the paper is as follows. Sep 29, 2014 soon after polygamy was legalized in kenya, msurvey carried out a mobile survey to establish the sentiments around the issue do the people support it or not. There are however several guidelines laid out in islamic law governing the practice. Polygamous marriages exposing kenyans to risk of hivaids. Impact of a polygamous marriage on children and family. Polygamy of either sort is far less common than it used to be, and is now concentrated in africa, the middle east, india, thailand, and indonesia. Apr 29, 2014 kenya s new marriage bill manages to both legalize the longstanding cultural practice of polygamy and to bolster the religious mantra that marriage is only between a man and a woman and a woman.
In tanzania the cnrle polygamy rate increased fonn 1. Polygamy is legal in 58 out of nearly 200 sovereign states, the vast majority of them being muslimmajority countries situated in africa, and asia. Polygamy is a common practice in some communities in kenya according to customary law, as long as the husband is able to cater for his wives and children. This form of marriage a where a man has more than one wife. Polygyny is a traditional practice whereby only a man is allowed to marry more than one spouse. The minister shall, by order published in the gazette, divide kenya into marriage districts, for the purposes of this act, and may, by like order, alter districts either by alteration of boundaries or by union or subdivision of districts, or by the formation of new districts. Kenya from the region with a moderate level east africa.
The selection of our samples from dhs data and a description of the statistical method are presented in section iii. Many african societies saw children as a form of wealth thus the more children a family had the more powerful it was. It brings civil law, where a man was only allowed one wife, into line with customary law. The exponents of family planning were already present and active in kenya in 1963, the year of the countrys independence, and were making rather similar predictions. Kenya if passed in its current form, the proposed marriage bill 20 could significantly affect the lives of about 2. Its meaning and occurrence in the world the word polygamy comes from a greek word. The practice is known as polygamy and it was passed as legislation in 2014. Based on the discussions, the paper attempts to discuss the issues of polygamy and its effect on family in kenya as well as other muslim countries.
Polygamy, which is defined as the practice of having more than one spouse, is a common, and widespread, socially as well as culturally accepted phenomenon in many african countries 1,2. Part one is preliminary while part two bears the general provisions. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. Overall the polygamy in africa is a very common practice that you are going to find all over africa, but it tends to be more popular especially in the west african countries. Using the 19881989 kenya demographic and health survey kdhs1. Registration of marriages solemnized under foreign law. Indeed, supporting polygamy is a sensible thing to do because men already like having many partners, it enhances personal freedom, helps to prevent or minimize adultery, is an integral part of some culture, was practiced by great men of christianity and islam and other religions, helps to decrease the number of single women in society, helps. It can be said that polygamy is not a new issue in kenya. Natural experiments that have expanded education in nigeria, zimbabwe, sierra leone and kenya have not reduced polygamy. Strictly speaking, polygamy, meaning plural marriage, includes polyandry more than one husband, as well has polygyny more than one wife. Civil marriages these are conducted in the registrar of marriages, deputy county commissioners or assistant county commissioners offices.
A historical background stephanie coontz professor of history and family studies the evergreen state college director of research and public education council on contemporary families the new hbo television show, big love, has led many people to contact the council on contemporary families for background on polygamy. The reasons for its existence and persistence are varied and have been a source of fierce. Polygamy is a form of marriage less satisfactory than monogamy and one which cannot do justice to the full spirit of christian marriage but in certain circumstance individual christian can still put up with it, as they put up with slavery, dictatorial government, and much else. Having noted that the incidence of polygamy is much less than many westerners would seem to think it varies from tribe to tribe, but in practice some 20% to 30% of african marriages have been polygamous, with a norm of two wives per marriage, it is important to underline that the main factor behind polygamy is not sexual incontinence, but the. A previous draft of the legislation required that before a man who is married under customary law can take a second or more wives, he must notify the registrar that the existing wifewives had. Much has been written on this subject as evidenced by the extensive bibliography of this article. In the chilly dawn deep in kenya s rift valley, three. Polygamy polygamy is defined as the condition or practice of having more than one spouse at a time. Marriage is defined as the approved social pattern in which two or more persons come together to establish a family. The marriage act, 2014 recognizes five 5 systems of marriage, namely. The polygamy bill dividing kenyas christians christianity.
Kenya parliament passes polygamy law, al jazeera mar. In the polygamy belt stretching from senegal to tanzania. Tapestry against polygamy, composed of former plural wives, are countered by defenders of polygyny such as the women who wrote harmony of polygamy. If you follow african media closely, every week or so these days, there is a female politician or community leader calling for polygamy, which.
The traditional practice of polygyny, whereby only a man is allowed to marry more than one wife in a customary marriage, has long been perceived to be an offender of womens rights. For more crosscultural examples of multiple marriage or stories about the intrigues and violence accompanying historical polygamy, see stephanie coontz, marriage, a history. In march 2014, kenyas parliament passed a bill allowing men to. Polygamy bill allows kenyan men many wives swaziland al. As in many parts of africa, polygamy is common among traditional communities in kenya, as well as in the countrys muslim community, which accounts for up to a fifth of the population. What the law says about polygamy in kenya venas news. Nairobi, kenya kenyan men have practiced polygamy, or plural marriage, as far back as they can remember. What are the advantages and disadvantages of polygamy. Kenyas new polygamy law is a win for mens rights activists. Among other objectives, the purpose of the bill is to consolidate the seven different marriage laws in the country.
Female mps storm out of parliament, bbc africa mar. In 1988, the lambeth conference of the anglican communion decided to admit polygamists under certain circumstances, in response to pressure from bishops in kenya and uganda. Polygamy already is a common fixture among many cultures in kenya and in some other african countries. For example polygamy is very widespread across kenya and right now one of the most prominent single individual that is popularizing this practice is akuku danger who as managed to become famous thanks to the fact that he is married with over 100 wives. University law center in partnership with fidakenya prepared this report, with accompanying annotated draft legislation, aimed to advance womens property rights in kenya.
Effects of polygamy on education in kenyan society ijhssi. Polygamy remains one of the key topics in various societies. Jun 25, 2014 last month a controversial bill legalising polygamy became law in kenya. There is always the conditionan inescapable onethat whatever the society, the women should outnumber the men. The legality of polygamy varies widely around the world. Plural marriages have been more common than not in the history of africa. Getting married in kenya state law office and department. Introduction the house of bishops and the provincial standing com mittee of the synod of the church of the province of kenya requested the writer to recommend ways in which the church might deal with pastoral problems arising from polygamous marriages for the synod to consider.