WINDHOEK – The Councillor for the Katutura Constituency, Benestus Kandundu, feels the time is ripe to legalise polygamy (having more than one spouse/marriage partner) as it could, according to him, be the only still untried solution to reduce HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.
Kandundu brooked the subject of polygamy at the Annual Partners’ Orientation Conference last month in Swakopmund, which was attended by local government representatives.
“It is a fact that HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies have became a problem within our community, particularly in the most poverty-stricken areas. In this regard another option should be considered,” Kandundu said in an interview with New Era on Monday.
“Besides condoms and circumcision being a solution to reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS, changing the legal system to allow multiple marriages, even up to ten marriages, should also be tried,” said Kandundu.
“There are obviously many people in this country who will be against this idea, but trust me this is the only way forward, even the mayor of Windhoek Agnes Kafula was of the opinion (sic),” he charged.
“Polygamy is part of my culture and since it worked for our forefathers, it shouldn’t be a problem if tried,” he stressed. He said many married men impregnate other women, which leads to unwanted pregnancies, and he believes legalising polygamy would eradicate “the problem”.
Kandundu said many illegitimate children end up becoming street kids because the father is scared to introduce the child to his family out of fear of breaking up the marriage with his legal wife and upsetting family tradition. “We must admit that we are cheaters, as this will be the way to resolve our problems of a high HIV/AIDS rate and unwanted pregnancies,” he said. He further called on fellow politicians to look into the matter urgently.
“It is of utmost importance that this matter be discussed at national level as it will help many families in the country to grow up in a stable and supporting environment,” he quipped.
Although polygamy is openly practised in certain cultures and religions, it generally isn’t something that sits well with modern society. Of the modern day tribes who still practise polygamy in Namibia are the Ovaherero/Ovambanderu people.
A study done by TNS in South Africa in 2010 revealed that the majority of those surveyed were against polygamy. Seventy-four percent of the 2 000 South Africans surveyed felt that polygamy was a problem, with females more opposed to it than men.
Of the blacks surveyed, 68 percent were against it, while 86 percent of whites, 85 percent of coloureds and 78 percent of Indians surveyed disagreed with it.
Sixty-four percent of men disagreed with having more than one wife and 83 percent of women surveyed disagreed with being a multiple partner.
Only 18 percent of those surveyed agreed it was not a problem for a man to have more than one wife in the African context.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa