Polygamy 'a great idea'

2008-05-05 08:55

Nairobi - A quarter of Kenyan married men are either openly polygamous or have secret wives, according a new poll published on Sunday.

Of the 44.8% of respondents who said they were married, one quarter practice polygamy openly or have stable relationships with secret wives, said the poll published in the Sunday Nation.

Sixteen percent have a child their "public" spouse knows nothing about and 45% say having more than one wife is a great idea, according to the survey carried out on 2 079 people across the country.

"The two main reasons for approval of polygamy cited by all respondents were sexual satisfaction for the man and to curb infidelity," the newspaper reported.

Kenyan law does not recognise polygamy and church leaders in this Christian-majority country are fiercely opposed to the practice, forcing polygamists to keep multiple marriages secret, according to sociologists.

In recent years, however, such relationships have been exposed during funerals and court appearances when secret wives and children show up to claim a share of property left behind by the man.

- AFP