November 26, 2024

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Polygamy Will Help Kikuyu Men Escape Kukaliwa Chapati – Elder Says

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An elder has called for Kikuyu men to fight monogamy and marry more than one wife so that they have can have voice in their homes.

Polygamy is a delicate subject amongst Kikuyus. There is even a community’s warning thus; “Aka eri ni nyungu igiri cia urogi (Two wives are two pots of poison)”?

The elder Gregory Njiru, member of Kikuyu Council of Elders says men for ages were allowed to have more than one wife and this enabled most of them to rule and avoid kukaliwa chapati.

Kikuyu elders in a past event. [Photo: Courtesy]

He says now polygamy is being treated as forbidden affair in Kikuyuland and this has forced their men to look for mipango ya kandos.

“Our ancestors kept two or more wives for comfort and to avoid being sat on by the only wife. The thing today you call kukaliwa chapati. Those days if husband found one wife moody he would go to the other for comfort” says Njiru.

Njiru argues that; “With many wives there is jealousy that calms the situation and as a result the husband is respected. It worked for our fathers and ancestors but because today it is not working in the open, men will obviously keep secret women”.

Sabina Chege with her husband . She is a second wife.

Kiambu Women Rep Gathoni Wamuchomba has urged Kikuyus to see polygamy as a way of culture, saying criminalising polygamy has led many women become single mothers.

One of the few Kikuyus who have declared they are polygamous is businessman Charles Macharia who has three wives and 12 children. Macharia has paid dowry for them all.

Senator Kihika with her husband. She is a third wife.

Murang’a Women Rep Sabina Chege is second wife of former Kenya Dairy Board General Manager Maina Gathitu while Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika is reportedly third wife of businessman Sam Mburu.