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Female MPs in Kenya Protest Polygamy Law
Female MPs in Kenya have stormed out of a late-night parliamentary session in a row over the legalization of polygamy.
The law is intended to bring civil law, where a man is only allowed one wife, into line with customary law, where some cultures allow multiple partners.
But male MPs voted to amend the new marriage bill to allow men to take as many wives as they like without consulting existing spouses.
Traditionally, first wives are supposed to give prior approval.
Correspondents say about 30 of Kenya’s 69 female MPs were in the 349-member chamber for the debate but were outnumbered by their male counterparts.
The women walked out in disgust over the matter.
The marriage bill now passes to the president to sign before it becomes law.
‘This is Africa’
MP Samuel Chepkong’a, who proposed the amendment, said that when a woman got married under customary law, she understood that the marriage was open to polygamy, so no consultation was necessary, Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper reports.
Mohammed Junet, an MP representing a constituency from the western Nyanza province, agreed.
“When you marry an African woman, she must know the second one is on the way and a third wife… this is Africa,” Kenya’s Capital News website quotes him as saying.
But female MPs argued that such a decision would affect the whole family, including the financial position of other spouses.
“It behoves you to be man enough to agree that your wife and family should know,” Capital News quotes Soipan Tuya, the women’s representative from Narok County, as saying.
The BBC’s Angela Ngendo in the capital, Nairobi, says the new marriage legislation has been under discussion for several years and some initial proposals were scrapped at committee stages.
Plans to ban the payment of bride prices were dropped – although a person must be 18 to marry and this will apply to all cultures.
Proposals to ensure equal property and inheritance rights were also watered down – a woman will be entitled to 30% of matrimonial property after death or divorce.
Under current Kenyan law, a woman must prove her contribution to the couple’s wealth.
There was also a proposal to recognise co-habiting couples, known in Kenya as “come-we-stay” relationships, after six months, but this too was dropped.
It would have allowed a woman to seek maintenance for herself and any children of the union had the man left.
Source: BBC
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GUNMEN OPEN FIRE IN A CHURCH IN KENYA KILLING AT LEAST SIX
March 24, 2014 at 9:51 am
BREAKING NEWS!!!
BUGA LOVE 4 LIFE!
March 24, 2014 at 10:47 am
A Kenyan MP was caught saying……”When you marry an African woman, she must know the second one is on the way and a third wife… this is Africa,”
THATS WHY I WILL NEVER MARRY AN AFRICAN MAN!!
#Guru
March 24, 2014 at 11:12 am
DOUBLE TOBELA
March 24, 2014 at 10:55 am
They think by allowing men to marry so many wives that will prevent them from becoming gay!
Well they are wrong, some men where born to be together with other men no matter how many vagina’s you will offer them, they are just not interested.
If It’s like that then surely women will not just sit back and watch their men marry women from all corners. If i were that woman i would also get my ‘side plateS’ or leave.
american
March 24, 2014 at 1:13 pm
@ double tobela there is no scientific evidence anywhere in the world to prove that a some men are born gay. people with that orientation(whether its orientation or disorientation) only become so because of many social factors.
GAY GOD
March 24, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Wrong!!
Some people are born gay it’s a genetic imbalance like being born albino lefthanded or deaf… they cannot help how they feel.
Chisenga
March 24, 2014 at 4:20 pm
Kenyan men are just sex maniacs who seem not to be satisfied with having one wife. This is the same Kenya where a Pastor told women congregants to come to a church service without underwear. I am not surprised that their leaders have passed that piece of legislation. This bill will now treat women as sex objects. It has silenced women not to question their husbands’ immoral behavior. This bill will now make it difficult to fight AIDS in Kenya. Polygamous marriages are just breeding grounds for HIV/AIDS. Shame. This the result of allowing Islam to influence the process of legislation. Under Islam, women are treated as sex objects. Islam is actually a very oppressive religion. Kenyan women will now have to dance to the tune of Islam.
Mama Africa
March 24, 2014 at 6:35 pm
What men can do women can do better. If those men think Kenyan women will wait for their turn they must be joking. Kenyan women are MALAYA’S “busy bodies” anyway… when I’m in Kenya women there are always after my hubby.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
March 24, 2014 at 11:10 am
The definition of polygamy i.e anybody, male or female, having more than one spouse. So by law, yes, women can and should have as many husbands as they please.
Akabanda Mateshi
March 24, 2014 at 11:25 am
When are we going to reach a free AIDS society?
mwine mushi
March 24, 2014 at 11:34 am
Double tola, most of them already have.
icinshikululwa POLYGUMY SHOULD BE STOPED EVEN HERE IN ZAMBIA
March 24, 2014 at 5:19 pm
Polygumy; IS NATIVE IN TONGA LAND; I wonder…;…,…!!!
icnshikululwa
March 24, 2014 at 5:29 pm
Oh sorry ni polygamy not polygumy; kkkkkkkkkkk!!!
FIELD MARSHALL
March 25, 2014 at 8:01 am
Its very unfortunate to some of this human beings who have or marry same sex partners I think out 5 senses they lose 4 and remains with 1.anyone with such a relative count that a 1 lost and dead because its only animals who do such abominable acts.shame on all you gays GOD will surely punish you.
Saddam Hussein
March 25, 2014 at 11:50 am
When Solomon had seven hundred wives, and three hundred concubines; there was no HIV/AIDS, the only problem I can imagine he had was to satisfy each one sexually, I presume he had a register to keep record of his activities since it took him more than two and half years before he can return to the first one. Do you think these women were able to wait that long for him?