Young Kenyans Are Reconsidering, Taking Up the Practice of Polygamy

Former Miss Kenya admits to polygamous marriage

Nairobi, Kenya – Former Miss Kenya Cecilia Mwangi is currently the talk of the town after the no-holds-barred interview with Drummagazine in which she admits being married to a youthful member of Parliament from the Coast who has another family.

Ms Mwangi, who says she is in the fifth year of her marriage to the MP, explains her decision to go public was inspired by Tusker Project Fame Season I winner Linda Muthama, who in August talked with True Love magazine about her relationship with comedian Walter Mong’are alias Nyambane, who has another wife.

Nyambane declined to speak on his marriage saying it had been rehashed in local press. But he promised an in-depth interview once Linda gives birth to their second child soon.

“Wewe shikilia tu hapo mama ako karibu kujifungua halafu utapata story smart (Hold it there; my wife is about to give birth to our second child and then you will get a good story),” Nyambane said.

For her part, Ms Mwangi requested us not to reveal the name of her husband as his political competitors might use it against him. She, however, talks about their marriage in detail in the October issue of Drum.

“We are now in the campaign period and I want my husband to be at peace,” Ms Mwangi told Lifestyle last week.

Cecilia and Linda are among many young and educated Kenyans who are admitting to being in polygamous unions, a trend that has debunked the belief that polygamy is an outdated culture.

Although the majority of Kenyans claim to be monogamous, statistics show that 13 of every 100 married Kenyan women have co-wives.

This means they are married to men who have at least one or more wives, according to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), 2008/2009.

The survey showed that educated women were less likely to practise polygamy, as it was common in past centuries when having more women and children was considered to be a status symbol…

Read more: Daily Nation

 

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